Killing Me Softly
by Ashley Taylor
Summary: Bra goes to a club late at night and meets up with someone who changes her life but could he mean more to her than just a friend? A Gohan/Bra/Juunana-gou fic. (PART 4 re-write and the end. Everything is explained and a tragic thing happens. Warning-- lots
1. Killing Me Softly

  
Title: Killing Me Softly   
by: Ashley   
  
  
Strumming my pain with his fingers,   
Singing my life with his words,   
Killing me softly with his song,  
killing me softly with his song,   
Telling my whole life with his words,   
Killing me softly with his song.   
  
  
  
Bra walked slowly into the dingy club. She knew she shouldn't be here, but she heard too much about the singer. She heard he sang like no other person. She never cared for other people's opinions but her curiosity got the best of her. It couldn't hurt to just listen to him. She wanted to know how good he was. 'It's not like I know him or anything.'   
  
I heard he sang a good song, I heard he had a style.   
And so I came to see him to listen for a while.   
And there he was this young boy, a stranger to my eyes.   
  
She sat in the corner. The small club all of a sudden got very quiet. Bra watched intently as a young man took the stage. He had a broad back and messy black hair. When he sat down Bra saw his shadows of his face. He had chiseled good looks and dark fiery eyes. He sat down on a small brown stool with his guitar in his hand. He tapped the microphone and looked around in the audience. She was certain that his eyes locked on hers. There was something familiar about his eyes. His eyes had a sense of security and a peaceful calmness about it. She slowly bit her lip. 'I think I know him.'  
A waiter brought her a small lemonade. She began to drink some when he strummed a few notes on the guitar. "Hello folks. Tonight I'm going to sing one of my favorite songs. This is dedicated to a friend. If she's here tonight, I hope she gets the full meaning of the song." Bra watched him closely. He had a husky deep voice. She became entranced when he started to strum his guitar slowly. She heard the speakers play the music, but with the melody he was playing it seemed more real. She took another sip out of the glass and watched him as he began to sing.  
His voice was rich and deep. He sang from his soul. It touched her like nothing she ever heard. 'They were right. He sings like no other.' Bra didn't realize he was done singing. She listened as he played a few more chords. Tears steadily rolled down her cheek. A sudden realization hit her as she recognized the song was meant for her. When he played the last chords everyone stood up and applauded. She stood up as well. Her eyes searched for the man on the stage. He stared long and hard at her again. That sense of realization hit her again. Her silent tears rolled down her face as she stared at him. She just had to know who he was. Her vision was blurring but she had to know.   
She mouthed the words to him. "Who are you?" She stared at him longer. That song or what she heard of it really spooked her. She saw him motioning her to come towards him. She bit her lip. He picked up his guitar and turned around. Before he exited the stage he looked back at her. She still couldn't see his whole face but something just said "go!" She acted on instinct for the first time and looked back at him. Bra nodded her head and headed towards him.   
  
She walked to the beginning of the club. She took comfort in the fact that the darkness of the club made it so comfortable. She stopped when she came to the stage door. 'I've got to know? How did he know that much about me?' She wasted no time in opening the door. The door slowly creaked open as she entered.   
A shadowy silhouette was in the corner. "Do you know who I am?" It was a simple question. There was something about it though that sent a tingling feeling down her spine. She tried to make out the figure but nothing came to her mind.  
"Who are you?" Bra smiled happily that her voice didn't falter. The figure switched on a lamp. It gave the room a dim look to it. She squinted her eyes until she could make out the silhouette. When her eyes finally made out who the shadowy figure was she gasped. "Gohan-san?"  
Gohan laid the guitar down and stared at the blue haired twenty year old. "Yeah, it's me." He gestured towards a seat opposite of him.   
"Gohan-san... I didn't know you could sing?" Bra walked hesitantly towards the chair and sat down heavily on the seat. Her jaw was open as she looked at him.  
"There's a lot you don't know about me."  
She looked at him strangely and frowned. "Ohh." He sat back in the chair and she squirmed in uneasiness. There was another question that was burning at the tip of her tongue. "Gohan-san, was that song about..."  
"Yeah, it was about you."  
"But why? I don't understand. Why would you sing a song about me? We hardly ever talk? It just makes no sense. T-That song... it was like you were describing my life. It's like... I really can't explain it, but..." Bra put a hand to her head. New tears came to the back of her eyes, but she wouldn't shed a tear.  
"Bra-chan, I don't understand either. But I have been noticing you a lot lately and it sometimes confuses me. You seem so drawn out and depressed a lot of times. It saddens me when I see people I know being neglected. I really can't explain it, but I feel connected to you. I didn't know I would even sing that song tonight. But I felt I had to."  
Bra looked away from him. "Gohan-san...", she bit on her fingernail, "um... how do you feel connected to me." She looked back at him. He eyes taking on a glassy effect.  
Gohan bit his lip to keep from hugging her and telling her it was going to be alright. Telling her there was no need to cry. He felt a strong urge to protect her but he quickly pushed that to the back of his mind. "Bra-chan, I... um.... I think I can understand what you are going through. I was exactly like you after my father got killed in the Cell Games. I didn't feel close to anyone, but when I met Videl, something clicked. I felt something... my sense of loneliness kinda went away. But ever since...." Gohan sighed. "What I'm trying to say is, that ever since that day something said 'don't worry.' Think about others, think about someone close by." Gohan raised his head and cracked a half grin.  
Bra smiled at Gohan's sincere words. "Thank-you Gohan-san. It's nice to know someone recognizes me other than my father." Against her will a tear rolled off her cheek. Gohan scooted up to the seat and wiped it off.  
"You're welcome. Just remember I'm here if you need me for anything."  
A genuine smile graced her facial features. At his touch the dam burst open. She wiped her tears away furiously. She gave him a wan smile. Bra cleared her voice getting ready to change the subject. "Gohan-san, how did you know I would be here tonight?"  
"Just Gohan. I don't really know. I have been playing here off and on for every few months since she died." Gohan bowed his head in respect for his deceased wife. "Something told me to play tonight. I guess intuition is always right."  
Bra sat back in the chair. She wondered if Gohan was really going to be there for her. It would be nice to have someone other than her dad to count on. "I hope we can be buddies from now on Gohan. I hope Pan doesn't get jealous if I spend some time with her father."  
"Heh, Pan is old enough not to worry about me. She's too involved with Ubuu to notice me anymore." Gohan sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.  
Bra bit her lip. Last year when Videl-san died of cancer, Pan was shocked. The only way to help her through that time was Ubuu's love for her. Gohan had his brother to help him with the pain. But anyone could tell, it just wasn't the same. Bra reached for his hand. "Don't say things like that."   
Gohan looked at her hand on his for a while. "Thank-you Bra-chan."  
Bra smiled. "You're welcome." She smiled at him again. "Next week I think I should sing a song to thank you."   
Gohan's eyebrows shot up. " That's really nice of you but you really don't have to. But it you really want to why don't you wait for a while." Gohan gave her his sweetest smile and grabbed her hand to pull her up. "May I take you home, it's kinda late."  
"Thanks Gohan. We can talk on our way. I walked here." She gave him her best kiddy smile.  
"So did I. I can think more that way." He smiled down at her too. Gohan took in how pretty she was. He had to mentally kick himself to remind him that he was old enough to be her father. A small blush crept to his cheeks. 'Why am I even thinking like this?'  
Bra looked up at Gohan. He had his guitar strapped to his back. He was really cute. Cuter than Goten. He was smart, strong, sweet, and caring. She squeezed his hand in hers. When he looked down at her she smiled again. A small smile came to his lips. 'Oh yea... this will be an interesting friendship.'  
"So how long have you been playing the guitar?"   
Gohan seemed lost in thought before he answered. "For a while. Mom wanted me to play an instrument. I picked violin. I hated that thing, but I didn't want to quit because mom said I was so good at it. When she wasn't around I used the thing as a guitar. I just taught myself."  
Bra laughed. "That was interesting." Gohan chuckled a bit too. "I would never guess you the type to go against someone's wishes." She laughed a little more.  
"I guess you're right. But ever since Videl died, I haven't been feeling like myself lately. I really don't understand it." Bra looked up at her companion. His voiced switched from a joking tone to a depressed one.  
"I'm sorry about her Gohan. I know how much she meant to you and Pan." She squeezed his hand in reassurance. Gohan smiled at her with glassy eyes.  
"Thank-you Bra. Let's talk about something else before I get all mushy." Bra's expression changed into worry at his words.  
"Gohan, it's okay, we can talk about her if you want to. I have no problem with it." She stopped him and looked at him. "It's better to talk to people about your pain. If you don't open up, you'll end up like me again. Sad for so many reasons, and you can never face your problems." Bra was unaware that her voice dropped a few notes from normal.  
"Bra-chan... really you don't have to..."  
"But I want to. You don't know how much I feel in debt to you from the way you sang that song. It seems you know more about me than any of my closest friends. Please..."  
Gohan stared at the young woman beside him. He could sense the sincerity in her expression. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Okay, Bra-chan. But do you want to stop for some ice cream. We can talk there." Gohan held out his hand again for her to take.   
Bra suspected he was trying to dodge the problem. She hesitantly took his hand. "I guess. I haven't had any of the pretzel-chocolate-peanut butter ice cream in a long time." Bra rubbed her stomach and took a step forward.  
Gohan turned up his nose and shook his head slowly. "I can't believe you just said that. I think we should talk about you before we talk about me."  
Bra grinned. She stopped and stared at him in the face. "That is good. You should try it. I didn't make fun of Goku-san, Goten-kun, or you when I saw you eat cake. Now that is even more of a reason we should talk about you first." Bra poked his cheek like it was some kind of threat.  
"Bra-chan, that was just mean. How about...."  
"Let's stop talking about our eating habits. I want to know useful stuff about you than how many weird ways we eat food."  
Gohan chuckled. "I guess you're right. The ice cream place is the next building."  
After both of them had their fourth ice cream sundae's and five ice cream cones they began to talk. Bra stared at the young looking college professor across from her. He was such a cutie without those dorky glasses. He had a intensity about him that made you wonder about him. 'I wonder if this is what Videl-san felt when she met Gohan,' she thought. Bra adverted her eyes away from him when she sensed he was noticing her studying him.  
Gohan almost smiled. He knew she was trying to study him, but he studied her as well. Bra was very pretty. She looked a lot like Bulma. That was one of the things he liked about her right away. When he was younger he had a small crush on Bulma. He always helped her with little stuff like carrying her places, listening her talk about some invention, help her when he could. But Bra was something different. She may have looked like Bulma but she was a long shot away from being like Bulma. Bra had her own style and personality. It was another thing he liked about her. Gohan had to admit to himself though, he liked Bra a lot more when she wasn't wearing her red outfit that he had seen her in so often. She wore a tight black shirt with devil horns on it and a flashy gray-black pants with black boots. She looked... it was a word he couldn't think of, but whatever it was she was it.  
"Gohan let's talk about you." Bra gave him a half smile and pushed her dishes out of the way. "C'mon, there's a lot I don't know about you."  
Gohan stared down. "I guess... I can talk about myself. But do I really have to??"  
Bra laughed. "Yeah you do. Unless, you want to just start writing each other. Writing is ten times easier than talking. I write you a letter everyday and you write me. I'll drop by your office at the end of the day to pick up my letter and give you yours." Bra's eyes went upwards as she talked.  
Gohan considered her idea. She was right. Writing was a lot easier than talking to someone about them. "I guess. It couldn't hurt either."  
"Gohan!! You are impossible! Just say it was a good idea. You remind me of Trunks!" Bra sighed exasperated.  
Gohan smiled. "So I'm like another brother to you?"  
Bra had a surprised look on her face. "No. You don't know what it's like to live with a bunch of nuts. Daddy is so worked up over training. Trunks is... well let's just say he is a very unhappy person. Mom invents something every ten minutes. And me... well you know." Bra grinned at the description of her family.  
"And I thought I was the only one whose family was different." Gohan laughed with Bra then.   
They chatted and laughed with each other until Bra looked at her watch. "Oh crap, we've got school tomorrow and it's almost one thirty."   
Gohan stood up when she stood. "I guess I see you tomorrow Miss Briefs." Gohan gave the heiress to Capsule Corporation a mock bow.  
"Quit it. I hate my last name, remember I told you that." Gohan grinned at her agitation. "Anyway, don't forget my letter. It better have something meaningful in it, and by meaningful, you know what I mean." Bra gave the older man a stern expression.   
Gohan didn't bother to look at the woman in fear of wincing at the look. 'Nevermind what I thought before. She acts just like Bulma.' He sighed and finally looked at her. "Yes ma'am', but you better have something meaningful in your letter,and don't say anything defendful. Do you want me to walk you home? Didn't you say you moved into an apartment a few blocks from here... right?"  
Bra nodded at him. "But you don't have too..."  
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to." Gohan took her by the arm and led her outside of the small building.  
They walked in silence on the way to the apartment. Gohan occasionally looked her way. Bra peeked in a shy look now and then. When they finally reached the place, the silence overwhelmed them.  
'Say something stupid,' her mind urged. "Gohan thanks for tonight. I can add another buddy on my friend list. Let's see... that makes seven."  
"You didn't want me talking like that, so what makes you think I am going to let you talk like that."   
"Okay... I'll remember what I say from now on." Bra looked around, she didn't want to leave him yet. "You'll remember my letter?"  
"Yeah... will you remember mine?"  
"Yeah. I'm gonna write it tonight." She smiled up at him. Bra tiptoed up and kissed his cheek.   
Gohan stepped back in confusion. "I-I don't understand? What was that for?"  
"For being a friend. I'll see you tomorrow." Before he could say anything else, she entered the building and closed the door behind her.  
After some time Gohan closed his mouth and whispered two words. "Goodnight Bra-chan."  
  
Bra ran up the stairs in a rush. She wished she could have seen Gohan's face when she kissed his cheek. When she got close to the her floor she slowed up a bit. Her talk with Gohan today had helped her. She just wasn't sure how yet. There was something about   
him she sensed he wasn't telling her. It was something that was eating up at her insides. When she finally reached her door she got hit with a feeling that she wasn't the only one who could sense Gohan kept a secret from them  
Bra bit her mouth's insides. She opened the door and walked into the bathroom. Whatever it was, she knew it would tie some sort of bond with him forever. The word bond scared her. Bonding period scared the crap out of her. She knew that the bond she would form with Gohan wouldn't be one she would like. Even if she did like it, someone she knew was not going to like it.  
  
Gohan stood there numbly for a moment longer rubbing his left cheek. He stared after her retreating back until he couldn't see it anymore. Slowly he turned around and walked away.   
He shoved his hands deeper in his pockets as he walked on. He let his thoughts reflect on how his day had gone. It was an ordinary school day. Nothing special. Nothing ever happened on Wednesdays. He walked through the day like in a hazy fog. Later that evening he kept thinking about Bra. Something about her didn't smile like he remembered  
how it used to when she was younger. Something was breaking her down. Then he kept thinking about the club he went to once or twice a month to play at. He didn't know what made him go to the club tonight. Something just told him to go and play the first song that you heard. What a coincidence the first song he heard reminded him of Bra. The song was "Black Balloons" by the Goo Goo Dolls. It was a depressing song. But a lot of the lyrics reminded him of her. He felt sorry for Bra. He didn't know why, but he did.  
When he saw his house in the distance he walked slower. He still couldn't understand why he felt so sorry for Bra. He thought and thought until he remembered. Bra reminded him of his mom. Both have been neglected by love ones. He could tell both of them have had their hearts broken many times. He sighed. Tears came to the back of his eyes. His mother died a few months after his father left for the last time. All he had in the world was Pan and he suspected she would be leaving him soon. Pan and Ubuu were becoming involved rather quickly. He had a feeling Ubuu would propose to her any minute. A small smile tugged at his mouth. At least something good was going to happen soon. His thoughts drifted back towards Bra. A small sense of panic came to him when he thought about her. It was like something was bad was going to happen to her, and she was going to let it happen to her. He desperately tried to shrug the feeling off, thinking it was only him being paranoid. But the less he thought about it, the more dread came to his stomach.  
He opened the door slowly because he didn't know if Pan was asleep or not. He went directly to his study to write Bra her letter. He got out lots of paper, for some reason he felt he had a lot to talk to her about.  
  
Bra came out of her bathroom drying her hair with a towel. She pulled on her black night shirt as she went to her room. She looked through her book bag for her pen and notebook. When she found them she went to her bed and stretched out. "What should I talk to you about first..." She tapped the pen on her notebook thoughtfully. She gave up on to talk about anything specific she just had to concentrate on writing him. She took the top off of the pen and began to write. "Dear Gohan...."  
  
Gohan wrote three pages so far. He didn't know he had this much to tell her. But he had to get some things off his chest.   
"Bra... you don't know how much I needed to talk to someone about this. I never new that I had this much to tell someone. I shouldn't keep my feelings bottled up inside... but sometimes it is hard to talk them out with someone. I could talk about things like this to Videl... but now she's gone. I loved her. I love her so much it's hard to describe. It might sound corny, but I don't think I ever will stop loving her."  
Gohan wrote half a page more. He didn't want to talk about everything at once... he had to save some things for later. When it came to the closing he got stuck. 'Should I put Sincerely or something else?' He nibbled on the end of his pen. He finally picked the right closing. 'Can't go wrong with this one.'  
"Your Friend,  
Son Gohan"  
  
Bra only stopped writing when she got hand cramps. She wrote about everything that was glued to her mind.  
"Gohan, I think you should open up more. You seem more closed out and drawn away than most of the time. It's kinda sad. I always thought of you as one of the coolest people I have ever known. You went through so many storms but you always end up dry. You may think that you're scared to go on without her, but you have a lot of courage. I read somewhere that courage means to walk in the shadows while everyone else walks in the light. Remember that... I think it will help you later on in life."  
Bra looked at the clock and decided it was getting late and to wrap things up. 'Now how do I close this thing up?' She tapped her pen against the notebook again. She gave up on trying to be poetic and settled for what she knew would be perfect.  
"Your friend always,  
Bra Briefs"  
  
Bra woke up sleepily when the alarm wouldn't go off. She looked at the clock. It was a quarter after nine. She didn't have classes until ten thirty. A few more minutes of sleep wouldn't hurt. Just as she was about to close her eyes her doorbell rang. "Ugh... why me?" She pulled the covers off as she got up.   
She didn't bother putting on any shorts or shoes. Whoever it was would just have to settle for her looking like crap. Hastily she opened up the door preparing to be extra crabby to whoever it was who woke her up. "What... oh it's just you."  
Trunks rolled his eyes as he let himself in. "Good morning to you too."   
"Sorry Trunks, but I had at least another half and hour of sleep left. And I stayed up all night."  
"If you stayed up all night then an half an hour's rest wouldn't matter." Trunks walked to her kitchen to grab something to eat.  
"Feel free to eat all of my food Trunks." Trunks poked his head out of the kitchen with a chicken leg in one hand. "Sorry about that sis. I came to ask you a favor."   
Bra walked to the kitchen and pulled out a box of cereal. "What favor?"   
Trunks took a big bite out of the chicken leg. "Mawon amd me habto goo wo oufto towm twodae. Cwen ydo wat Carwen twodae?"   
Bra looked at her brother. She had to dodge a few times from the pieces of food flying out towards her. "Trunks... do you really think I understood you?"   
He looked at her and swallowed. "Sorry. I said, Marron and me are going out of town today. Can you watch Carmen this week. We'll be back next Thursday."   
She took a bite of her cereal and chewed thoughtfully. "Haven't you talked to mom or dad about it?" Trunks shook his head.   
"They are busy. Same thing with my in-laws. Please Bra, I know I owe you big... just this once. Juunana-gou will be by here to watch her sometimes too."   
Bra's eyes lit up a little. "Okay. When will he be by?"   
Trunks took another bite. "He said he will watch her while you are at school. So you don't have to make any serious changes to your schedule."   
Bra finished her cereal and put the bowl in the sink. "Oh okay. So where is Carmen now?" Bra went back and sat down at the table.   
"She's at Juunana's now. I forgot to ask you this yesterday. But it's okay now." Bra opened her mouth to say something else. But Trunks beat her to it. "Thanks Bra. You're the best. And thanks for the chicken." Trunks grabbed a napkin and headed for the door. "Kiss Carmen for me." He turned and waved before closing the door.  
Bra groaned. She loved her niece but Trunks could have told her a lot sooner. But at least she would get to see Juunana. Bra went back into the kitchen to wash the dishes. When she finished she headed towards her room to grab her clothes. She went to the bathroom to clean up and get dressed. "I guess I will clean up the guestroom then head to school." She yawned and opened the door.  
  
Gohan taught three classes before he could take a break. So far, all he could think about was her. It was a task to keep his brain focused as he taught the class. He was actually looking forward to seeing her again later in the day. He just had to get through two more classes before he could take off. Not many people took advanced Pediatrics and Medicine Terminology III anyhow. He would be ready to go at around one thirty or two. Bra told him that her classes ended at one. 'It won't be too long.' He thought wistfully.   
Bra went through the day in a haze. Her thoughts kept going back to Gohan. She was growing impatient because of her slow teachers. She needed to get to Gohan. It still kinda shocked her. In three and a half hours she thought of him as her best friend. Someone she could totally trust and rely on. Now... she didn't know what she would do without him.   
When the class was dismissed she shook her thoughts in place. She didn't want to seem too anxious to see him. But that was the problem.... she was. 'Maybe he can come with me to get Carmen. I can talk about Juu-kun on the way there. It'll be nice to talk to someone about him.' She smiled as she kept walking down to his classroom. A small smile graced her features. She was already planning their day together. She stopped for a minute to find her letter to him. 'Can't loose this...'  
As Bra drew closer to the door she slowed down. She felt like there were dragonflies in the pit of her stomach. The closer she went the more she felt like she was going to be sick. Just as she was about to open the door it opened itself.  
Gohan regained his sense of surprise when he came face to face with Bra. Their noses bumped before he had a chance to jump back. "Sorry about that Bra-chan."  
Bra smiled at him. "Don't worry about it. I was about to open the door too." Gohan chuckled a bit too. He dug his hands in his pockets and looked down. "Come in. I taught all of my classes for the day." Gohan opened the door wider and stepped aside so she could enter. Both walked to the front of the class. Gohan sat behind his desk while Bra sat on a corner on the desk.   
"You know, Bra, I had a hard time teaching my classes today. I kept thinking about you." A small blush came to his cheeks. "I know what you mean. I was so thankful that I didn't have any tests today. Most likely I would have failed." Bra said blushing a bit too.   
"I stayed up till three writing you your letter. It's kind of long, sorry about that." Gohan handed Bra a blue envelope with her name on it. "Don't apologize so much. The letter I wrote you is on the long side too." She smiled as she took the envelope from him. She gave him a green envelope with his name written on it.   
Both took a few minutes to read their letters. Gohan smiled at some parts. Bra had managed to write only half a page about herself. The letter was basically about her telling him to open up more and not be so bottled up inside. He was touched that she actually cared so much about him. When he finished he set the letter on the desk and stared at her. Tears were coming down her face.  
Bra was getting emotional and she hated it. But Gohan's letter was just so... deep. He told her of how scared he was after Goku left. Then after Piccolo Chi Chi, and Videl died. He told her about how much he loved Videl. How he thought about suicide after she died. Everything she couldn't imagine. But she had a feeling that the things he told her now was just the tip of the iceburg.  
"Bra... is everything alright?" Gohan tentatively placed a hand on her shoulder. Bra whipped her head around at his touch. She smiled a sad smile for him. "Yeah... just a little teary. I am so sorry Gohan. I didn't know half of the things you went through." More tears escaped her eyes against her will.  
Gohan was touched again at how much she cared for him. He wiped a few tears away. "It's okay Bra. I didn't know exactly what I was feeling. You don't know how much you have helped me. But how come you didn't tell me anything about yourself?" That earned a smile out of Bra. She tried desperately to blink the tears away. "If you want me to talk about me. It's going to be a novel. I have so much going through my mind and after things I went through. You wouldn't want to read anything about me." She sighed and tried to turn away from Gohan's grasp. But he kept his hand to keep her from turning around. He grabbed her chin for her to look at him. He looked straight into her eyes and didn't take his gaze off of them.  
Bra stared straight at Gohan. She felt like she could drown in those eyes of his. When she couldn't stand his piercing eyes anymore she closed her eyes. Tears still rolled down her cheeks.  
"Bra don't close your eyes." Bra blinked up at him. He still had her chin in his hand. "I want to see what kind of person would cry for me. Please Bra. Please do me this favor." Bra resisted from him. "Gohan... I think it just isn't right for someone as kind as you to be put through a hard life. You didn't deserve bad things to happen to you. It's like death surrounds you, but you can find a way to smile through it. I wish I had that kind of courage." Bra sighed and opened her eyes to look at him. "I wasn't surrounded by death. I was surrounded by loneliness. I know my family loves me... but it's like they are always an arm's reach away. I am and always will be alone." Bra closed her eyes and stood up. She turned her back on him.   
Gohan was dumbfounded. No one actually took their time to realize the life he had. He hardly knew what kind of life he had. He watched Bra stand alone and wrap her arms around herself. He ran his fingers through his hair. He stood up and walked right behind Bra. He hugged her from behind. "Bra... don't worry. You won't be alone anymore. I am always going to be with you. You're like my best friend now."   
Bra turned around in his embrace. He rested his chin on her head. In a muffled voice she talked to him. "Thank-you Gohan. Thanks." Gohan smiled a little. "You're welcome."  
Bra stayed in his arms a little longer. Her tears were gone. She knew if she   
stayed in his arms   
any longer she wouldn't be able to leave. She bowed her head down when she stepped away from him. "Sorry about that Gohan. You probably think of me as a crybaby now. I usually don't cry. It's a sign of weakness. I am so..."  
Gohan rolled his eyes and put his finger on her lips. "Bra-chan, shut up. I don't think any less of you than I thought before. So you can stop rambling." He removed his fingers and stepped back. "Plus, if crying was a sign of weakness... everyone in this world would be on life support." Bra grinned at his remark. "Okay... thank-you Gohan again." He waved his hand as in dismissing the idea. "Don't worry about it. I know you would do the same for me." Bra nodded knowing he was right.   
"Um... Gohan, can I ask you to do a favor for me?" He looked at her. "Yeah, what is it?" Bra fidgeted a bit. "I am watching Carmen this week, and I have to pick her up at Juu-k... Juunana-gou's place. Can you come with me?"  
Bra's little slip up didn't go unnoticed from him. "Sure. And Bra can I ask you a question?" Bra lifted her head up. "Yeah. What is it?"  
Gohan walked a little closer to her. His face had a stern expression. "Bra... do you like anyone?" Her eyes popped out of her head. "U-Uh... no. I don't think I do." Gohan shook his head side to side. "Are you lying to me?" She shook her head sideways. "I think you are." Bra looked at Gohan strangely. "C'mon... you like Juunana and you know it. I can tell." Bra bit her lip to keep from saying anything. "It's okay. You can tell me all about it. But before you tell me about Juunana-gou, can you tell me your feelings on Goten? I was positive you two would end up with each other, but I must have missed something."  
Bra laughed and pulled him out of the class. "You are left out in the dark. C'mon, let's get Carmen. My story with Goten is short so don't expect some depressing break-up, but Juunana-gou is another thing." Gohan willfully followed Bra out of the school.   
  
"So that's what really happened between you guys?" Gohan stopped and thought about it a little. "How come no one ever told me?" Bra stopped and turned around to face him. "You never asked. Plus... I don't think Goten and I actually thought about it too much." Gohan facefaulted. "Okay... I haven't talked to Goten as much the past couple of months so I don't know his side clearly. But you said Goten went back to his ex-girlfriend?"  
Bra ran her fingers through her hair and nodded slowly. "But I think I saw that coming a mile away. I just didn't want to face reality. But as you have guessed, I moved on. At least I am trying to. I haven't said anything to Juu-kun. We go out sometimes but that is just sometimes. I like him a lot, but I am not trying to fall in love again. The whole situation with Goten was a lot of heartache and confusion."   
Gohan stared at her. His brain was slowly processing the information she gave him. "But I thought Goten dumped her a while back?" He scratched his chin and with his other hand behind his head. "Yeah he did. And that pisses me off. I loved Goten and he leaves me for some dumb bimbo who he dumps a week after me."  
Gohan couldn't help but to laugh at his friend. She was acting like some fourteen year old. As soon as a stifled laugh came out of his throat he regretted it. Bra's head whipped around so fast he didn't have time to catch his breath. Within seconds she tackled him on the grassy area. She got in his face and gave him a look that belonged on Vegeta's face. "That was not funny. Take that back. You're suppose to be my best friend Gohan!"   
Gohan's mouth stretched in a goofy smile. "Sorry about that Bra-chan. Didn't mean to laugh at that. But it was the way you said it and..." Bra sat on his stomach hard. Gohan's air went out of his lungs. "You can be such a meanie at times. Forget about it and let's get to Juu-kun's house."  
Bra got up off of Gohan and gave him a hand. "Let's go. I haven't seen Carmen in a while. I want to take her to the mall and maybe the park if I get home in time." Gohan took her hand as she helped him up. He dusted the grass off of himself and looked back at Bra. "I didn't know you liked kids so much." Bra was temporarily shocked. "I don't. But Carmen is different. She is smart for a four year old and she's just the sweetest thing I have ever met. She is also cute considering who her father is." Gohan chuckled at her comment. "That was mean. You and Trunks look alike you know." She made a face and pinched him. "Don't say that again. But I guess we sort of do. Carmen has the lavender hair like my brother's and no nose like Marron." Gohan flashed a half grin. "It's not nice to talk about people." Bra shrugged her shoulders. "Who cares anyway? I'm not hurting anyone." Gohan only shook his head with a smile. The rest of the way to Juunana's cabin was in silence.  
  
"Obachan!! Am I spending the night at your house?" Bra picked up her four-year old niece when she entered the small cottage. Bra smiled and pushed a stray lock of lavender hair from her eyes. "Yes... but first we are going to the park if it isn't to late." Carmen smiled up at her aunt.   
Juunana walked in the room when he heard squealing. His eyes brightened up a little when he saw Bra holding Carmen. Even though he never told anyone, he liked her a lot. There was this force that attracted him immediately to her. It may have come off as him being too proud to admit something like that. But the fact was, he was just too shy. Feelings were still new to him, and he intended to take his time and figure out what he felt.  
In a sly seductive voice Juunana shocked Bra. "Hey Bra-chan. Is it time for you to pick up Carmen already?" He smirked at the faint blush that rose on her cheeks.  
Bra saw his smirk and cursed inwardly. "Yeah... I might take her a couple places before we go home, but it might wait for later. You can come with us if you want to. It's only going to be Carmen, me, and Gohan."  
When he heard her say Goku's brat's name his eyebrows shot up. 'Why in the world would she be talking to him? Unless...' Bra seemed oblivious to Juunana's sudden silence. "So do you want to come? It would be fun. I just got out of school and I need to find a reason to be happy." Juunana narrowed his eyes and looked away from the blue haired beauty. "No. Not tonight, maybe later. I have to catch up on something. But you will drop her back off in the morning?" Bra nodded. She was about to ask him something else when Gohan came up behind her. He tapped her on the shoulder before whispering something to her. Gohan noticed the cyborg in the middle of the room and smiled at the man. "Hi Juunana-gou."  
Juunana looked pissed off. 'What does this dude got that I don't. Why does she want an old man anyway. I bet he can't even catch up with her.' He crossed his arms over his chest demanding a little attention. "Bra... I will call you in the morning if you want me to pick her up. Unless you want to drop her off." Bra's smile dropped a bit when she heard the faint sound of annoyance in his voice. "Um... okay Juu-kun. Please call me. I will see ya later." Bra, Carmen, and Gohan all waved as they exited out of his house.  
Built up anger build up inside of the young cyborg. When he was sure that the people were out of ear shot he cursed out loud. After he finished his little outburst he went to his room. For some strange reason he felt like he needed sleep. He felt so drained of energy when he saw her with him. 'Out of all people it had to be another Son brat.' He sighed inwardly. He had hoped after that break-up with that other brat, she would recognize him more. He rolled over and talked into his pillow. In a muffled voice he said, " Bra... why can't you see that I love you?"  
  
Bra held Carmen while Gohan walked beside them. The hair on Bra's arm bristled when she heard someone call out her name. "Gohan... did you hear something?" She asked uncertain. Gohan turned and stared at her his eyes full of question. "No... maybe you're just hearing things. What's wrong... you do something bad?" Bra rolled her eyes at him. She didn't feel like teasing. "Shut up." Gohan bit his tongue at the coldness evident in her voice. Under his breath he mumbled an apology to her.   
Bra felt her cheeks warm up. "I'm sorry Gohan-ch... Gohan." Bra felt her whole face grow hot. She mentally kicked herself. 'Stupid. Stupid. You do NOT call Gohan "chan." What were you thinking. You only actually met him yesterday night. Think straight Bra.' Bra pushed her thoughts away. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I just feel an urge to run to someone. It's a strange feeling." Carmen raised her head from her aunt's shoulder. "Then why don't you go to him?" Bra looked at her nice strangely. "What do you mean?" Carmen pulled her thumb out of mouth and looked at her with big blue eyes. "To whoever is calling you." Bra smiled gently and wiped Carmen's hair out of her face. "It's not that easy." Carmen took that as a reasonable answer and nodded back to Bra's shoulder.  
Gohan just stared at Bra. He was positive she almost called him "chan." And second, he never knew how good she interacted with kids. She seemed to have some kind of dark motherly glow about her. He looked at his feet on the way to Bra's house. The silence was just fine with him.  
  
Bra opened the door to her apartment. She pointed out a couch to Gohan. He took the meaning and sat down. It was almost dark outside so Bra led Carmen to the kitchen. She pulled out a bucket of chicken and a pot of spaghetti out of the refrigerator. "Carmen... dinner will be ready in a few minutes." She smiled at her niece and put the cold food in the microwave.   
"Gohan!" Gohan snapped out of his train of thoughts when he heard her calling his name. "Yes, Bra." Bra came out of the kitchen to talk to him. "Do you want to stay for dinner? It's only going to be Carmen and I. We've got leftover chicken and spaghetti." She smiled up at the man. Gohan tensed slightly and smiled nicely to her. "I'll take a raincheck Bra-chan. I have some work to do tonight. See you later." Bra's smile dropped a bit. She led him to the door. "I had a real nice day today. I'll write you tonight." Bra leaned on the door. "I'll write you too." He smiled sweetly at her. "Good-night, Bra-chan." Just as she was about to say good-night to him to he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "And from now on, you can call me Gohan-chan. I don't want to feel too old." He walked down the hallway to leave. Before he went down the steps he turned and waved at her.   
Bra just stared at his retreating back. 'I can't believe he actually did that. Oh my goodness!!' Bra felt tingly all over. It was just like she was fourteen again. She walked inside and closed the door. A deep blush cam to her cheeks when she fingered where he had kissed her. She smiled a goofy smile to her niece. "Carmen.... why don't we order pizza instead. We can have today's leftovers tomorrow." Carmen grinned and jumped out of her high chair. "Really?!? Can it have pineapples, bubblegum, and pickles?" Bra smiled at her and nodded. "Sure.... just as long as I can have cookies, cottage cheese, and peanut butter on mine." Carmen licked her lips and ran to get her aunt the phone book. "C'mon, we got to hurry. I am practically starving after what I said." Bra's smile stretched as she picked her niece up and went to the couch.  
After Bra and Carmen ate their dinner, both girls took their baths. Bra took Carmen to her guestroom. "Your uncle will pick you up tomorrow. So don't be afraid if you wake up in a different bed." Carmen nodded slightly as she dozed off. She exited the room quietly and close the door. She went straight to her bed and flopped down on it. She yawned and pulled out her notebook and pen.   
  
Gohan walked home slowly. He didn't know why he kissed her on the cheek. It was like some kind of payback for last night. A faint smile touched his lips. 'I wonder if this is going to some kind of habit.' He unlocked the door to his house and entered. He walked into the kitchen and jumped back a bit. "Pan-chan, you scared me." He ran his fingers through his tousled hair. Pan's eyes grew big. "I scared you?!? You scared me! What are you doing out this late anyway?" The way Pan talked and acted he almost laughed. She looked so much like her mother. A bittersweet smile came to him. "Does it really matter?" He walked past her to get a glass of water. Pan fumed. "Yes it does matter. It's been... well it's been... it's been a year since mom died. Don't you think it's a little soon to start dating?" Gohan almost choked on his water. "Is that what you think?" Pan cast her eyes down. "I can't believe that. I am just out with a friend. All we do is talk. So think before you speak or act Pan." Pan cringed slightly at that saying. She remembered when she was younger, he had said that to her. "Sorry otousan, but I worry about you." Gohan's face softened. "I'm okay. Worry about whether Ubuu will ever pop the question or not." Pan blushed as Gohan walked past her to his room.  
He sat at his desk thinking about his daughter's concern. He felt a little bad about not telling her who his new best friend was, but she never asked. He pulled out some paper and began to write Bra's letter.  
  
"....Gohan-chan.... it sounds so weird but normal. But since you *insisted* I call you that, then I will. I think Juu-kun, is mad at me. But I don't know why. And that pisses me off. How can I keep my thoughts straight if I don't know what I am feeling? I like Juu-kun a lot, but I don't think he'll ever feel the same. I used to think he liked me. But I was only kidding myself. I have to move away from the feelings thing. It's getting really frustrating. I never understood why daddy never let any of his emotions show. Now I know. It's so much easier for others to have an opinion of you, then you giving them one. Less pain and trouble that way.  
This is bye for now.....  
Your best friend,  
Bra Briefs"  
  
"....Bra-chan.... I wish you would talk more about yourself. You know things about me... but I still know next to nothing about you. Except the signals you give off to people. I don't know what you think of your life from your own view. With you it's always third person. If you want me to open up more.... you are going to have to cooperate too. Please....  
I hope you can understand some of the things I am trying to tell you. I'm like your best friend, please tell me something about yourself. I can wait, but even I get sick of waiting all the time. I hope you listen to some of these things I said....  
Remember what I said....  
Your friend forever,  
Son Gohan"  
  
Bra woke up early that morning. She had to get Carmen ready before Juunana came and picked her up. She looked around for her niece's shoes. "Where are they? I know she took them off somewhere around here?" She mumbled to herself. She was about to look under the couch when she heard a knock at the door.  
Juunana fidgeted a little. He had forgot to call her, but he knew she was expecting him. Unless she was expecting Goku's brat. 'I can't believe she likes him!?! I mean... I thought she liked me. Possibly more...' His thoughts ran straight when he came face to face with her. Never in his life had his feelings been so clear until now. 'So this is what it feels like. This is what it means to be in love.' Juunana didn't question his thoughts. It was the only logical explanation. Bra looked sleep deprived, older, and messier. But in his eyes, all he saw was how pretty she looked. In his enticing voice he greeted her. "Good morning Bra-chan. Is Carmen still asleep or is she ready?" It took all of his will power not to stutter or goof up.  
Bra smiled. Even though she tasted the bile and bitterness of her morning breath she had to smile at him. She couldn't frown or do anything weird around Juunana. His presence made her feel special and younger. Against her will, a faint blush graced her features. She opened the door wider. He stepped in. She studied him. She had never saw him without his green socks on and it kind of made her a bit sad. It was one of the small things she loved about him. "Um... she's still asleep. Do you want to take her now, or have a cup of coffee before you leave?" Silently she was pleading. 'Please stay a little longer.'   
As if he had heard her thoughts he accepted her invitation. "Yeah.... sure. Carmen sleeps heavy, so I can stay for a while." He gave her his detestable smirk and crossed his arms.  
Bra sighed happily. He looked too cute standing like that. His smirk was something else she loved about him. She knew she was falling for him, but she didn't know if she was falling hard.  
Juunana looked around her apartment. It was basically spread out in black. There where black and white curtains on the windows, black carpet, and a black furniture set. It looked modern and a little bit creepy. "You like black, I see." It was more of a statement than a question. "Yeah... I think it best describes me. Black is a mystery. I would like to think of myself as a mystery. No one seems to know enough about me anyhow." Bra scratched her head. She motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen. "Do you want something to eat or anything else?"  
Juunana looked at her with his icy blue gaze. "No thanks." He sat down on the seat closest to the exit. Bra nodded and took out two mugs. She poured the hot black liquid into the mug. "Cream and sugar?" Juunana smirked. That statement always had a double meaning to him. "Nothing. I drink my coffee black." Bra smirked and brought her mug up to her lips. "Me too."  
Bra and Juunana drank their coffee in silence. Bra drank her mug's continents slowly to stay awake. "I didn't get a chance to take Carmen to the places I wanted to take her yesterday." Bra said drowsily. "Gohan-chan came with us and we took our time coming here. We just basically played." Juunana's soft expression turned to one of jealousy. He choked on his coffee for a bit. Bra's signs of fatigue disappeared when she heard him coughing. "Oh... are you okay?" She patted his back while he continued to cough. In between coughs be said, "Yes... I am fine... don't worry about me..." He slowly stood up.  
Bra watched him ruefully. "Are you sure you're okay?" Juunana nodded his head. 'Makes no difference. I lost the one person I actually loved to a monkeyboy. Of course I am going to be okay,' he thought sarcastically. "I should be leaving anyway. Where's Carmen?"  
Bra dropped her hand from his back and scratched her head again. "She's in the back room. I think she is still sleeping, but she could be up." Juunana smiled at her and left her in the kitchen alone.  
He walked to the room where his great niece was at. He entered the room looking around. The room was a decorated out in a dark blue. It had white carpet and white curtains. The walls were blue with white borders. The bed where Carmen lay, had silk blue sheets. He went towards the sleeping form and picked her up gently. He wiped stray lavender hairs out of her face. He kissed her forehead and walked out of the room.  
He walked to the kitchen where he saw Bra cleaning up. "Are you going to pick her up today or should she just stay with me?" Bra grabbed a towel and dried her hands from the soapy dishwater. "I'll pick her up, unless you have something planned to do with her today." Bra stared at Juunana with big, bright, blue eyes.   
He moved a little in annoyance. 'I have nothing special. I just don't want to see you and "Gohan-chan" come near me.' He looked back at the young woman in front of him. "Yeah... I was going to take her to the park." Bra nodded her head. "Okay. Just don't give her any pizza, we had that last night for dinner." Juunana nodded his head and walked towards the front door. "Sorry to come so early Bra-chan. I'll see you sometime. Bye." Bra stood at the doorway in confusion. Juunana never left her apartment without some kind of flirty remark or pass at her. As she watched his retreating back leave away from her, the more upset she became. 'I wonder if something's wrong,' she thought miserably.   
She went back inside of her apartment and closed the door. "At least I can get a couple hours of sleep," she said to no one in particular. Bra shut off all the lights in her path as she headed towards her room.  
  
Bra walked up to Gohan's classroom slowly. She was still thinking about Juu-kun. 'I hope I didn't do anything to offend him.' Bra sighed and opened the door. She saw Gohan in the front of the class with a worried look on his face. "Gohan! Gohan-chan!" She called out softly.   
Gohan looked up and saw her walking towards him. A smile came to his face. He had gotten a bit worried that she couldn't come or she had forgot. He stood up and met her in the middle of the aisle. "Good afternoon Bra-chan." He grabbed her hands and kissed her quick on her cheek. Bra smiled softly and squeezed his hands. "Good afternoon to you too." Bra sat down in one of the nearby seats. "I'm kind of tired today. I really don't know why though." Gohan smiled down at her and took the seat opposite of her. "Do you want me to pick Carmen up for you then?" Bra smiled at his thoughtfulness. "No, it's already taken care of. Juu-kun wants to take her to the park today." Gohan nodded in agreement. "I wrote you today. It's not as long as before, but I'm not talking about me in this letter." Bra's smile turned into a half grin. "Thanks a lot Gohan-chan." Bra accepted her letter and gave him his.  
Bra smiled when she finished her letter. She kept her soft smile when she saw Gohan finish up his. Her smile dropped a bit when she saw how placid his face was. She couldn't read any emotion anywhere.   
Gohan bit the insides of his mouth. 'Why is she hiding her feelings from everyone?' He thought knowingly. A small smile came to his face. "Bra-chan, why don't you want others to know what your feeling?" Bra's smile grew grim as she slumped into her seat. "Gohan-chan, I don't really want to talk about that right now. I'll tell you later, just not now." Gohan watched her intently before taking his eyes off of her. "Okay, but will you tell me when you want to talk about it?" Bra's facial features lighted up a bit. "You know I will. So why didn't tell me absolutely anything about yourself? I may know a lot, but not everything." Gohan grinned sheepishly. "You did the same to me, so you can't really say anything." She laughed. "I guess you're right, but I need to know something about yourself."  
"You will know things about me, I will tell you later." Gohan came and sat down beside her. "So what do you want to do today? I have no plans until next week." Bra went into gloomy mood. "What do you mean? I can't see you next week?" She turned to pout at him. Gohan chuckled. He rested his forehead on hers. They looked straight into each others eyes. "I will always make time to see my best friend. So don't worry about it."   
Bra smirked. "Thanks Gohan-chan. You are the greatest." Gohan moved his head from hers. "I know, but you don't have to remind me." Bra hit him playfully. "You are so silly."  
He smiled and playfully hit her back. "But onto more serious issues. Why don't you tell Juunana-gou how you feel?" Bra's smile disappeared as she sat back. "I told you, I am not a feeling person. Juu-kun is the same way too. Feelings bring up too many problems within yourself. You loose all concentration, thinking, and views on things. If I actually sorted out my feelings, I would be a mess." Gohan shook his head. "But that's what you need to do. If you know what you're feeling, then you have a clearer focus on what you're thinking. Does any of this make any sense to you?"  
By the expression on her face Gohan knew she didn't. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Bra-chan, how do you feel about me?" Bra was taken aback by his question. She brought her knees up to her chin and tapped her foreleg nervously. "I really can't describe it. I like to be around you because you understand me. I like talking to you because you listen more than you talk at times. I like you in general." Gohan had a tight smile on his face. "That's nice to know, but can you be more exact?"   
Bra shook her head in tiredness. "Gohan... I told you I would understand my feelings in time. Don't worry about me." Gohan shook his head slowly. "But I do worry. Bra remember what I told you when we first talked. I mean actually talk?" Bra nodded. "Then understand me now. I think I understand you but I don't understand what you're feeling. You have to tell me that." Bra nodded. "I understand, but it gets confusing." He nodded. "Then talk to me when you don't understand something. I will try my best to help you understand your feelings."  
  
Juunana walked with Carmen in the park. He loved his nieces more than anything in the world. They were the closest to him ever. "Jiisan Juu-san, can we go and get some ice cream?" He smiled down at his niece as he picked her up. "Yeah... but don't get too many things on your ice cream. I don't want to go through what we did last time," he said in a mock angry voice. The child's laughter filled his senses. He smiled affectionately at her. She looked a lot like Bra-chan. "You know you look an awful lot like you auntie." Carmen smiled. "Gohan-san said that too." Juunana's smile dropped a little. "He said I looked like a combwo... combon... a something like Mommy and auntie." Juunana's smile stayed on his face. "It's true. You look like Marron and Bra-chan." The little girl nodded her head proudly. Juunana watched as his young niece wiggle out of his grasp. She walked beside him holding his hand.   
He thought about Bra.... and Gohan. It made him sick to his gut. 'Why in the world would she even like him? What was going on between the two anyway. Most importantly, when did all of this happen and does anyone else know about it?' He shook his head to clear it. Emotions were rising up in him and it was not one he welcomed.  
"Jiisan, c'mon... you almost passed it." Carmen whined. "Sorry about that, let's go. Do you remember what I told you though?" Carmen nodded and rushed inside the tiny building. Juunana followed right behind her.  
  
Gohan and Bra left the university. "You know, it feels like I have known you longer than just a couple of days." Gohan chuckled and put his arm around her waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "And it's almost like we're a couple too." He chuckled a little bit. "No... we're just really comfortable around each other." She cocked her head to look at him more. "It's either that, or we just like each other and we're too shy to admit it." He smiled at her. "So where do you want to go today? I have to be home early though, I think Pan suspects something." Bra nodded. "I don't understand why though. We're not doing anything wrong." Gohan nodded, he was just thinking the same thing. "I want to go to your house. We'll just watch movies all night." He thought it was an okay idea and changed directions to the movie store. "While we're watching, you can tell me more about your relationship with Videl-san, you don't talk about her much." He dropped his arm from her. "When I get through talking to you about her, you'll understand." She dropped a bit behind him and saw how fast he tensed up. A strong sense to hug him came to her mind, she pushed it as far as it would go. 'I wonder what exactly happened.'   
"I want to watch something with a lot of death in it. The way some of these people die in the movies are just too funny." Gohan's eyebrows shot up. "You're not serious are you?" Bra turned to face him with mischievous, serious eyes. "Yes, I am. Have you actually paid attention to their deaths and how stupid the plot is sometimes?" Gohan nodded slowly. "I guess you could be right in some ways." Bra rolled her eyes and went to grab the newest horror flick. Gohan strolled over to the animated sections. Videl loved cartoons. She especially loved the ones where there was no happy endings. She had always said: life isn't a happy ending, so why watch something about it. There was a lot of truth in the words.   
Gohan's thoughts jumped back into order when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He tensed up, but relaxed when he realized who it was. "Bra-chan, you scared me." Bra smiled appolgizetically at him. "Sorry. You seemed out of it, I didn't mean to interrupt your train of thought. I had gotten a bit worried when you didn't respond to my voice." He grinned.  
"So did you pick out the movies you want?" She nodded and headed towards the check out desk. "Yeah, I think you'll like them too." She looked at him but turned away when she knew she wasn't going to receive an answer.   
  
Pan and Ubuu sat on the porch swing swinging gently. Ubuu noticed his girlfriend's distraction for the past few nights. "Pan... is something wrong? I mean, you seem distracted about something."   
Pan snapped her head to look at him. "I am sorry. I guess I have been out of it lately." She sighed and scooted closer towards him. "I'm worried about otousan. He isn't as home as much as he used to be, he is up later than normal, it's just not him."   
Ubuu rubbed her arms and rested his chin on her head. "I wouldn't worry about him. Maybe he made a new friend or..." Pan pulled away from him. "I know what you're thinking and you're wrong. Papa is not seeing anyone. It's too soon. Mom only died a year ago... he's not the type to jump into situations."   
Ubuu heard the pain and hurt in her voice and backed off. "I didn't mean to upset you, but I was just trying to think of all of the possible reasons."   
Pan smiled faintly. "I'm sorry. It's just I thought about the same reasons too. What if he did find someone new?" Pan turned to face him. A sense of panic evident in her eyes. "The thing that really upsets me about this is that, I think it's someone close to me." Ubuu reached for her hand. Pan looked down as she reached for his hand. "He cannot forget about mom. If he does... what will I do then?"   
  
Bra noticed the way Gohan was painfully quiet. The way he walked out of the store kind of scared her. When she couldn't stand the silence any longer she stopped him in the sidewalk. "Gohan is something wrong?"   
Gohan stared at her with an uncertain look in his eyes. A charming smile came to his face. "Ah... what do you mean?" Bra's concern expression escaped her face, it was replaced by a stern, cold face.   
"Gohan, don't lie to me. I may not know you well enough, but I am the closest thing to you in this universe. I know you well enough to know when something is wrong though." Gohan's face grew grim. He unmasked his eyes to reveal a heartbroken, lonely, and angry man. "Oh Gohan..."   
Gohan smiled without humor. "Bra-chan... I've been thinking about Videl a lot lately. Normally this wouldn't be such a bad thing, but I remember something my mother told me. When you start thinking a lot about something... it's more than likely you've closed that chapter in your life." He stared at her closer. "Bra-chan... I think I moved on. I think I gotten over Videl."  
Bra watched in wonder as she stared at him. "Gohan-chan, don't worry. Things will be alright. It's not like you forgotten her or something. You are just probably missing her more right now." Bra said as tenderly as she could. She rubbed his back slowly hoping to relieve some of the tension in his body.  
"No... you don't understand. I really have gotten over the pain of her death. I still love her, but when I think about her... it doesn't hurt as much." Gohan turned around to face her. "Bra... it's not a bad thing. I will always love her, but now I can move on with my life. I know this is what she would have wanted, but the realization that this is really happening is a lot to take in."   
Bra was quiet. "Gohan-chan..."   
Gohan silenced her. "Bra-chan, I will be fine. Don't worry about me."   
Bra still wasn't convinced. "Gohan... will you at least tell me what made you come up the this sudden realization?" Gohan silently stared at her.  
  
Trunks dropped his fork in mid-air. He looked down at it and cursed silently. "Something is not right. Something is going to happen."  
"What are you talking about? What's going to happen?" Marron asked in confusion her blue eyes dancing in panic.  
"I don't know, but I got this strange feeling about Bra. I don't know if is a good or bad thing. But whatever it is, it isn't normal."  
Marron sat back in her seat. "Don't worry about her. She is a big girl now, Bra can take care of herself better than anyone I know."  
Trunks picked up the fork off the ground and slowly looked at his wife. "I know that, but some thing just tells me to stay on my feet around her again."  
  
Bra looked at him more intently. "Well, Gohan?" He stepped away from her and bowed his head before speaking. "Bra I....."  
"Obaachan!!" A high pitched voice rang their ears. "Obaachan!!" The voice called again. This time Bra looked away from Gohan to a smiling girl running towards her.  
"Carmen??" Bra smiled when she saw her niece jump into her arms. "What are you doing here? Where's your uncle?"  
Carmen looked over the shoulder of her aunt then pointed far back. "He's back there being slow. We went out to the park and for ice cream, and now we are going to get a movie."   
Bra smiled at the girl's excitement and looked over of Gohan. He had a relieved look to him and didn't look as tense as before. "Gohan, is everything okay?"  
He smiled and flashed the okay sign. "I am fine. Just a bit surprised." He smiled again to reassure her that everything was indeed okay.  
Bra hesitated to say something but changed her mind. She turned her head back to continue to look for Juu-kun. "Are you sure your uncle was behind you when you left? Maybe you ran too fast or..."  
"Ah, leave the kid alone. You're telling her everything except that I am old, which I am not." Juunana-gou flashed Bra a smirk and took Carmen from her. He looked back at Bra and kissed her on her cheek. "So what are you doing this far away from home?"  
Bra stopped blushing from his previous kiss. "Oh, nothing really. We came to rent some movies then to watch them later tonight."  
Juunana's cool exterior dropped for a split second. "What do you mean "we"?"   
Bra dropped her head from her his gaze. 'I wonder if he could be jealous of Gohan.... but why would he?' Bra pointed towards Gohan a bit behind him. "Gohan came with me."   
Juunana only nodded and smiled tightly. "Really? Tell me about the movies later, okay. It's almost time for Carmen to go to bed. I'll drop her off tomorrow morning at your house." Before Bra had a chance to say anything else he turned away with holding Carmen's hand.  
"I wonder if something is wrong with him." She frowned as she turned to face Gohan. "What do you think?"  
Gohan turned to her startled a bit. "I really don't know. He seemed normal to me." Gohan walked closer to her.   
"I don't know, something just doesn't seem right to me. He seems different." She dropped her train of thought when he stood beside her. "And while I am on the subject, on someone not acting normal, what's with you? What were you going to say?"  
His eyes froze. "Oh, nothing. I'll tell you later." He smiled at her and grabbed her hand. "Why don't we watch the movies now?"  
Bra hesitated. "Okay.... but you promise to tell me?" She watched him smile at her and nod his head. "Yeah, let's go now."  
  
Pan tensed a bit. "I feel otousan coming and.... something else."   
Ubuu released his hold onto Pan as she stood up. He strained his senses until he felt the other power source. When he finally recognized the unknown source he bit the insides of his mouth. "Pan... are you okay?"  
She turned to him with confusion mixed with anger in her features. "Why is she with him? What's been going on? How come he never bothered to tell me? This cannot be happening." Pan paced back and forth with each question. Her black hair swinging with each sudden step. "Ubuu?!?"  
"Pan, maybe it's not what you think. Maybe they met on the way and decided to come here or something. Don't start jumping into conclusions. Just wait for your answers, don't get angry."  
Pan wrapped her arms around her stomach. "I'll wait, but I want some answers. I don't think this is some type of sudden run-in meeting. Something just does not seem right here."  
  
"Jiisan, is something the matter? We didn't pick out my movie." Carmen looked up at her uncle's blazing eyes.  
Juunana switched thoughts as he looked down at his niece. His eyes changed from a dark cobalt to his normal hazy shade of blue. "Nothing is the matter. Why don't we pick up the movie someplace else. I don't think that store has the one you wanted." He smiled faintly at her.  
"Okay. But why didn't we stay longer to talk to obaachan and Gohan-san. I thought you liked obaachan?"  
Juunana's smile never left his face. 'I do like Bra. Just not that Son brat.' He looked back at her. "I do like Bra. I just thought that her and her friend might be busy. We'll talk later to them, ne?"  
Carmen nodded and reached for her uncle's hand again. 'Something doesn't seem right,' she thought while looking for the next video store.  
  
Gohan stopped in the driveway in front of his house. "Bra-chan, be careful of what you say in front of Pan-chan. I think she is going to suspect more than what she already does."  
Bra looked at him. "I am going to act the same way I've always acted. Why should she suspect something? We haven't done anything but talk. If Pan doesn't trust me after all these years, then why does she bother with me." Bra saw Gohan's face drop a bit, but she pinched his cheeks to bring his eyes up to hers. "You worry too much."  
He only sighed and walked on. Bra caught up and grabbed his hand. "I told you I was going to act the same way, so don't try and pretend that I'm not."  
Gohan smiled at her determination. "There's no use trying to argue with you is there?"   
She smiled up at him. "Have you forgotten who my parents are?" Both laughed when the came up to the house.  
  
Ubuu was beside his girlfriend in less than a minute. "Pan... babe, please calm down. They are only laughing. It's no big deal."  
Pan turned around to look at him. Her face was red and flushed. "I cannot believe this is happening. Out of all the people in the world it had to be my best friend and father! This is not happening."  
Ubuu sat down when she pushed him away. "I think, I'll go and meet them. It won't hurt no one."  
Before Ubuu could grab to catch her she jumped off the porch preparing to meet her father and friend.  
  
"I almost forgot how you could be at times. You know you are just like her, don't you?" Gohan's voice became softer with each word.  
"My mom? No we're not. The only thing my mom and I have in common is daddy and that's it."  
"It's not true. You look like her, sometimes you sound like her, your appearance, skin complexion, and something else I always wondered."  
Bra looked at him. "What would that be?"  
He dropped her hand and stopped her. His fingers ran through her straight, blue hair. "That hair color. I've always wondered about it. Is it dye or something?"  
"Ugh... and just when I thought you were being serious." She laughed and grabbed his hand. "That's what you always wondered?" He nodded his head and smiled at her.   
  
"Ah.... excuse me. Am I interrupting something? Because if I am, when, how, and why did this all started?"  
Bra squeezed Gohan's hand tighter. Gohan turned whiter than rice. "Hey honey, where's Ubuu?"  
Pan tapped her foot rhythmically while staring at them. "You still didn't answer my question. Will one of you please explain this to me?"  
  
Gohan looked at Bra or some type of explanation, but as he looked at her he got more than what he expected. He looked down into her eyes. The excitement, surprised, eagerness, and something else he read puzzled him. A small grin tugged at his lips. He felt the same things as she, just not at her level. He looked up at the night sky for some type of answer to what he was feeling and why was it happening now. She squeezed his hand again for him not to look away from her.  
Bra looked at Gohan and smiled a bit wider. A strange thought was running through her. She squeezed his hand again for him not to look away. Her strange smile reached her eyes.   
Gohan looked harder at her and felt a sudden urge to do something that made absolutely no sense. Without thinking he bowed down and kissed her on the lips.  
  
"What is the world is going on here?!?!" Pan screamed in horror. She threw up her hands and yelled at the top of her lungs at them. "Tousan!! Bra!!!"  
  
Gohan and Bra's magical spell shattered when they heard screeching in the background. Both looked at each other confused and a bit embarrassed. "Bra.... I-I...mean.... I didn't mean to do that." Gohan stuttered and blushed at her.  
Bra smiled and touched his cheek lightly. "Don't worry. It.... it was kinda nice." Both almost shared another tender moment then looked back at Pan.  
"Hey honey...."  
Pan looked at the two in shock and shook with anger. "Dad!!! I can't believe you actually did that in front of me?!?! Why!! And Bra!!!! I thought we were best friends!! What has been going on between you two?" When she finished ranting she looked at the two with hurt and anger still evident in her eyes.  
"Oh, Pan honey, I am so sorry. I-I mean, we didn't know what came over us? It was like... I really can't describe it. I am... we are really sorry." Gohan had tears in the back of his eyes. Bra moved a bit away from him and looked at Pan with a rueful expression.   
Ubuu watched from the porch and frowned at the scene before him. It looked like at any moment Pan might breakdown or go into a tantrum. Gohan and Bra looked upset about the consequences but not entirely sorry for their actions.  
"I...I can't believe this. Why did this," she waved her hands in front of them, "this... have to happen? What did I do to deserve this?"  
Gohan advanced towards his daughter slowly and hesitantly. "Pan, it happened. There's no changing the past, we can't do anything about it but accept it."  
Pan looked at her father then over to Bra. She bowed her head and said very low, "I'll accept it when I'm ready. Ubuu, let's go." Pan walked ahead of her father and Bra without the slightest recognition.   
Ubuu jumped off the porch and was beside his girlfriend in seconds. He turned back to Gohan and Bra. "I guess, I'll see you again sometime." He waved and followed Pan out of the driveway.  
  
Gohan sighed at his daughter's exit. He tried his best to explain what had happened, but he didn't even know. He sighed once again and looked at Bra. She was crying and wouldn't look away from Pan's back. He walked right behind her and tapped her lightly on her shoulder. She turned around and buried her head in his chest.  
"If only she knew what happened between us. If only we could just tell her, but I still don't understand."  
Gohan rubbed her back lightly and pulled her away after her words. "You mean, you know what happened?"  
Bra wiped her tears away and bowed her head. "Gohan-chan, I don't exactly know how to put this but.... we're bonded." 


	2. Killing Me Softy-- Part Two

  
  
Title: Killing Me Softly  
By: Ashley  
  
  
  
  
I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd,   
I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud.  
I prayed that he would finish but he just kept right on.  
  
  
  
  
Gohan sighed at his daughter's exit. He tried his best to explain what had happened, but he didn't even know. He sighed once again and looked at Bra. She was crying and wouldn't look away from Pan's back. He walked right behind her and tapped her lightly on her shoulder. She turned around and buried her head in his chest.  
  
"If only she knew what happened between us. If only we could just tell her, but I still don't understand."  
  
Gohan rubbed her back lightly and pulled her away after her words. "You mean, you know what happened?"  
  
Bra wiped her tears away and bowed her head. "Gohan-chan, I don't exactly know how to put this but.... we're bonded."   
  
Gohan looked at her and shook his head slowly. "No... you can't be serious." He patted her back soothingly but stopped when she jerked away from him.  
  
Bra strangled to talk through her tears as she looked at him. "I'm serious. I've had a feeling about it for a while now, but... that kiss confirmed it." She looked at the ground again before looking back at him. "Well..."  
  
Gohan looked at her with confusion. "But... how?" It took all of his will power for him to stay up.   
  
Bra wiped her tears away and frowned slightly. "I don't know exactly how. But this cannot be a good thing. I know something bad is going to happen," she said. 'Mainly to me...,' she thought miserably.  
  
Gohan looked at her strangely. He studied her as she became more tense. Softly he called out to her, "Bra-chan, maybe this isn't bad. You're probably just looking at things the wrong way." He smiled softly at her.   
  
Bra uncrossed her arms when she saw him looking at her. There was this strange look in his eyes she couldn't look away from. Slowly she looked away from his piercing gaze. She cursed herself inwardly for appearing weak. "Gohan... trust me on this. This will end in a bad way." She didn't say anything else as she silently looked at him challenging him to say something else.  
  
  
  
"Pan... babe, why didn't you at least wait for an explanation from your father and Bra? Maybe they care for each other?" Ubuu said as he stopped his girlfriend at the end of her driveway.  
  
Pan turned around defiantly. Her medium black hair swing with the abrupt move. She stared hard at him with blazing dark eyes. "Ubuu I didn't need an explanation. I saw what had happened which was more than enough for me. He can't love someone else. Mom hasn't been gone that long. I just don't get it and I refuse to understand it."  
  
His big brown eyes pleaded with her. "I didn't say that they loved each other. Love takes time, it doesn't happen right away. I said that they probably cared about each other on a deeper level." He lowered his voice, "Pan if you really love them both, you would try to at least understand. How do you think they feel right now. You are the closest thing to both of them and if you leave, that could bring them apart or closer together."  
  
She looked down at the ground. "Ubuu... I'll think about this tomorrow," she said softly and slowly. She turned around to look at the outline of her house before facing him again. "Can I stay at your place tonight? I don't think I can go back just yet."  
  
He sighed at her stubbornness and nodded his head reluctantly. "You know you can stay there without even asking."  
  
A small smile crept to her pained face. She filled in the gap between them both as she hugged him tightly. "I can't believe how good you are to me," she said into his muscled chest.  
  
He patted her back and kissed her soft, black hair. "I love you Pan-chan, don't forget it."  
  
  
  
Carmen watched her uncle with curiosity. He seemed upset about something. His eyes didn't look the same color and he had a intense frown on his face. "Jiisan Juu-kun, is something wrong?" Her wide, clear blue eyes shown with concern on her small pixie face.  
  
Juunana looked at his niece and smiled faintly at her. He walked over to her and kneeled by her side. His fingers played with her lavender hair. "Nothing's wrong. Don't worry about me just yet." He smirked at her childish smile.  
  
Carmen smiled for her uncle in hopes of cheering him up. Something was wrong with him and she needed to find out. It seemed like something was just taken away from him and he could never get it back. 'Don't worry Jiisan... I'll make you smile again, somehow.' Her smile turned into a toothy grin before she turned her attention back to her toys.  
  
  
  
  
Gohan held up her hand when her gaze changed into a glare. "Bra-chan... really this cannot be all that bad." He smiled at her as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I can't be all that bad, can I?"  
  
Bra dropped her eyes away from him and smiled. She set her hands on her hips and smiled again at him. "It's not that, it's just things are more complicated with us. I don't think you realize how complicated they are." She looked straight at him and became more serious. "Have you forgotten about Juu-kun and I? How about two half-breeds bonding together? What about the fact that you could still be in love with Videl-san and I could possibly love Juu-kun? How about the age differences?" She looked at him waiting for some answer but she received nothing but silence.  
  
Gohan tapped his chin with his index finger when she brought up all of the things that could effect their bond. He changed thoughts when she began talking about love. "Bra-chan, I loved Videl deeply, but I know I've got to move on." His voice lowered before picking up on a strong note. "You said you didn't know how you felt about Juunana-gou. Why all of a sudden you think you're in love?" He looked at her doubtly.   
  
Bra frowned and walked away even further from him. She was silent for some time before she finally spoke. "I don't like bonds. I never liked them when I first learned about them. They make me panic and I always said I would avoid getting bonded." She turned around to face him with a wry smile on her face. "I always thought that I would end up with Juu-kun ever since I first met him. I didn't want a bond, just him. Then I met you and I got mixed-up. Who would have known I would have gotten bonded to my best friend. Who would have known it would have been with you." She sighed and tried to look brave in front of him. "Life is a bitch sometimes." She smiled and wrapped her arms around herself again.  
  
Gohan had mixed feelings about what she had said. He was touched she had finally started opening up to him but he was concerned that something bad would really happen. He also felt a bit offended. 'I wonder if she really likes me more than just a friend?' He shook his head to clear things, he would ask her later.  
  
He walked right behind her and hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know what to say really. If I scared you I didn't mean to..." He trailed off when she placed her hand over his.  
  
"You didn't scare me. You just made me see things differently." She turned around to face him. She smiled gently at him. "Maybe this won't be so bad for now. I just need a lot of time to think about things before I actually make the full adjustment."   
  
Gohan was still worried about her but some of his uneasiness about her faded away. The fire that had lit her eyes when he first met her came back slowly when she smiled. He grinned as he took her hand. He rubbed the back gently and tightened his grip around it. "Bra-chan, I am always going to be your friend. Even before the bond I was your friend and nothing is going to change that." His soft, black eyes pleaded with her to understand him. He then smiled viciously at her. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to pretend I like Juunana-gou. Now I have even more of a reason to be jealous of him. I got to figure out a way to make you fall for me and get over him."  
  
Bra's eyes popped out of her head at his words. She grinned at him before speaking. "I fall for whoever I want to. No one is going to make me fall for them." She smiled inwardly at the way he could make her feel sometimes. It was almost like he knew the things to say to make her happy again.  
  
Gohan laughed to himself at the way she could be. "So does this mean you are okay with the bond?"  
  
Bra's smile dropped temporarily off of her face. "I don't like bonds. I never will but I could get used to them." She saw his face drop before smiling again. "We don't even have a full bond yet, anyhow."  
  
Gohan looked at her a bit confused. "I don't get it?"  
  
She smirked. "Bonds are like marriages in a way. They both have to be consummated." She snickered at his blushing face. "I don't care how much I like you, that's not happening anytime soon." Bra looked down at her watch and frowned slightly. "I have to go somewhere. I'll talk to you later." Bra reached up to peck him on the cheek. "Bye Gohan."  
  
Gohan waved numbly at her when she walked away. She seemed in a hurry to get to wherever she was going. "Bye Bra-chan..."  
  
His eyes drifted away from her back to his house. He knew Pan wasn't going to come home tonight. She probably wasn't going to come home anytime soon. He sighed as he thought of his daughter. He didn't mean to hurt her, it just happened.   
  
He walked up the low set of stairs to the font door. When he walked in he felt suddenly lonely. He drifted from different rooms until he came to his room. 'I don't have nothing else to do tonight, might as well get as much sleep as I can,' he thought tiredly.  
  
  
  
  
  
An image of his daughter running went through his mind. Vegeta slapped the oncoming ki blast out of his way before sitting down to think about what could be wrong. "Something does not seems right about her." He stretched his senses to hers but a block was around her mind. He tapped his chin in thought. This was not like his little girl. Something was definitely wrong.  
  
He stood up and clenched his fist. Something was bothering her and somehow he knew he could not help her with her problem. He dropped the fist and grabbed his towel as he wrapped it around his neck. Whatever her problem was he would find out and try his best to see if he could be of some help to her. He would find out what was bothering her soon enough. Anyhow, she was on her way here.   
  
He walked out of the new gravity room Bulma built for him. The sudden night breeze came to him by surprise. Stupid Earth weather. Snow and ice would be coming soon and would halt his training schedule. He sighed as he looked for his daughter in the distance.  
  
  
Bra ran as fast as her two legs could carry her. Too many thoughts were running through her head. She was mainly focused on him. She had to get to her father, he would know what to do. He would know why she was feeling this way. Papa always knew what to do when she was in a fix. She slowed down when she saw the curve of the Capsule Corp. building. Without stopping she ran to the gravity room where she knew her father would be.  
  
  
He smiled inwardly as he saw her petite outline coming his way. When she finally reached him, her breathing was irregular and her hair was thrown everywhere around her head. His face wrinkled up in shock and mild humor that his daughter seemed tired. She must have put all of her energy into running to come see him. When she had seemed like she had calmed down he grunted for her to look up to him.  
  
Bra recomposed herself as she heard her father's grunt. She fought around with the idea of telling him the truth of not, but it would come out sooner or later. "Papa, I have something to tell you." She looked down before speaking to him again. "Please don't interrupt me, just listen this time."  
  
Her tone of voice had provoked Vegeta's curiosity. "What do you have to tell me?" He crossed his arms looking at her expectantly.  
  
Bra looked at her father, silently debating whether to tell him of her predicament or not. She sighed inwardly that he might as well know it now then later.  
  
She crossed her arms and looked at him in the eye. "I've bonded with someone."  
  
  
One side of Vegeta's mouth curved up and he shook his head. "I know how much you hate bonds but that doesn't seem to be the bad part. Is it?"  
  
Bra's eyes didn't waver from him. "It's not." She dropped her hands to her sides and bowed her head. "Papa... I really like him. I don't know if my feelings are deeper than what I want them to be. I think I love him, but I'm not sure. I haven't known him that long." She looked up at him and began speaking again. "Papa, what happens when you love two people and you're bonded to only one of them?"  
  
Vegeta looked at his daughter and a wave of panic overtake him. He looked away from her and breathed in deeply. "Bra, your not bonded to the cyborg, are you?" He closed his eyes hoping she was.   
  
Bra shook her head no. "No... it's not with Juu-kun."  
  
He opened his eyes. A trace of fear was evident but that was all. "Just don't tell me it's with one of Kakarott's brats," he said through clenched teeth. When he received no answer he growled. " Bra, who is it with?!"  
  
Bra couldn't meet his eyes and looked away from him quickly. Quietly she answered him. "It's with Gohan."  
  
Vegeta frown and looked at her with sympathy and fear for her. "This is not good." Vegeta wanted to scream at her and kill the brat. His eyes closed at the strain of trying not to get mad to quickly, but it was getting hard. He knew he couldn't help her on this and he cursed the fact that he was wrong. Jet black eyes flashed open and he looked at her. Something was going to happen to her and she knew it. He turned around heading back to his training. "I don't know what to tell you. It seems you know more about what's about to happen then I do." Before she could say anything he locked himself in the gravity room.  
  
Bra frowned. She expected this, but that didn't cover her disappointment. She took one last look at the gravity room before exiting the Capsule Corp. grounds.  
  
  
  
  
Trunks and Marron were still at dinner when Marron noticed him drop something else. "Trunks!! Why do you keep dropping your fork?" Marron looked a little fustrated.   
  
She threw her napkin on the table in and sighed in exasperation. She cast her bright blue eyes down and her blonde hair came down with her. After a moment lost in thought she raised her eyes to meet her husband's worried ones. "I'm sorry Trunks, it's just that I think something is wrong with Jiisan and it doesn't feel right."  
  
Trunks eyes became more concerned. "I know what you mean. I have the same feeling about Bra. I don't know what is going on back home but I know we are missing a lot."  
  
Marron nodded. "I know what you mean." She looked away for a minute before asking her next question. "Why do you keep dropping your fork?"   
  
Trunks gave her a half smile. "I sometimes forget how dense you can be at times." He laughed at her flushed face. "But the answer to your question it that, I think I need to choke someone and my hand always has something in it to keep me from doing the job."   
  
"That's mean." She looked down at her plate as she pushed around some of the food. "But I think you should try and get the hospital and bank investing deals done fast so we can get home. The computer and toy manufacturing deals will have to wait until later." She looked up to meet his eyes. "But I do know that, whatever Jiisan is going through Bra must be going through the same thing on a higher level."   
  
Trunks tapped the fork lightly against the table. His wife's face was deep in concentration. He sighed as he tried desperately to think of a way to wrap up the business deals.  
  
  
  
  
Bra entered her apartment duplex and walked up the stairs slowly. She felt tired a more confused than ever. When she entered her place she went straight to her room to get ready for bed.  
  
She sat on her bed feeling bored but not sleepy yet. Her eyes glanced around the room in search of nothing particular until she spotted her notebook and pen on the dresser. "I don't have anything better to do," she mumbled to herself. She reached for the notebook and began writing him a letter. 'It's not like I'm going to give it to him,' she thought before writing. "Dear Gohan..."  
  
"Gohan... I am the perfect combination of my parents. I have his pride and attitude with her looks. It makes no damn sense. I love them both, but they confuse me even more than my feelings on you and Juu-kun do. Even though it might seem that I absolutely hate my mother, she can be okay at times; but only when she isn't pressuring or talking to me for a really long time. Then there is Trunks. I don't know what to say about him really. After he came back from his trip with Pan and Goku-san, he started treating me different. I don't know what caused this in him, but we've been close (as close as I wanna get) ever since then.   
  
...Remember when you asked me how I felt about you? I didn't give you a straight answer because, I didn't really know. I like you a lot, and it's confusing. I thought I was in love with Juu-kun, then I met you. Now I think I just don't like you anymore. I can't describe it, but I feel something with you that was deeper than anything Juu-kun and I could ever have. That right there scares the hell out of me. I thought it was just the bond but I felt this way before I even kissed you or was it the other way around? I think I love you, but what does that mean about the way I feel about Juu-kun? Was I wrong about my feeling towards him or am I wrong about the way I feel about you. I wish I knew how I felt. I want these feelings to end so I can stop being so confused. Whatever it is, it's killing me and I want it to end before I do it.  
  
Your... well what am I to you now?  
Bra Briefs"  
  
Bra looked over the four-page letter and smiled slightly. She was about to put it away when her stomach rumbled. Slowly she stood up from her bed and headed for the kitchen to get something to eat. She dropped the letter on the table on her way to refrigerator.  
  
  
  
  
Trunks came running into the hotel room with a smile on his face. "Babe, I finished the hospital deal this morning. I managed to get the rest rescheduled for next month. I only have to do wrap one meeting today then we can leave."  
  
Marron dropped her book in her lap and smiled at him. "I had a feeling you would end it soon. I packed our things an hour after you left. How soon do you think we can get a plane back home?"   
  
Trunks smiled and a strange spark lit his eyes as he looked at her. "We don't need a plane. Have forgotten your charming husband can fly faster than the best planes."   
  
The same spark caught Marron's eyes as she walked in front of Trunks. "I haven't forgotten, it's just that I chose to forget it."   
  
He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Remind me to be mad at you later. Right now I have got to change. I promised Carmen I would bring her something while I was away." He smiled down at her again before heading towards the bathroom.  
  
  
  
  
  
Gohan walked the short distance from his house to her apartment. He couldn't sleep at all last night. He kept thinking about Pan and her reaction towards him. The thought was pushed in the back of his mind when he came to the door. He straightened his glasses on his face when he rang the doorbell.  
  
  
Bra stirred sat at the kitchen table stirring her coffee when the doorbell rang. She dropped her spoon in the cup before getting up to answer the door. "Who is it?"  
  
She heard Gohan state his name before opening it. "Isn't it a bit too early to see me?" She smiled as she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.  
  
He smiled and grabbed her before she had a chance to pull away. His dark eyes bore into her blue eyes. "I missed you." He said it more to himself than her as he looked at her. The words surprised him as much as she was surprised. He smiled down at her and kissed her on the lips gently.  
  
Bra was confused at his action and she blushed as she tried to get out of his hold on her. "It's only been a day."  
  
He shook his head to clear things when he released her. He would think about things later, not now. He smiled again and closed the door behind him. "Bra-chan, it's almost three o'clock and you just woke up?" He followed her into the kitchen where he saw a bucket of chicken and a cup on coffee on the table.  
  
She shrugged. "I slept late. It happens sometimes." She sat down at the table and pointed to the chicken. "Want some breakfast?"  
  
He grinned and reached for a drumstick. "I've never met anyone who ate chicken for 'breakfast'." He finished his drumstick before sitting down in front of her.  
  
"I want to take you somewhere tonight but I figured you wanted to watch the movies we had gotten last night." He held up two tapes for her too see.  
  
Bra nodded. "I was going to go to your house, but since you're here, we might as well." She finished her coffee and three more pieces of chicken before standing up. "I've got to wash up and change clothes." She looked at him before asking. "You don't mind waiting for about an hour, do you?"  
  
He shook his head. "I'll read a magazine or something while you're getting ready." He smiled to show he was really okay with it all.   
  
Bra grinned at him before leaving the kitchen.  
  
Gohan looked around the room when a piece of paper caught his eye. The first words he could see were "Dear Gohan,". He fought around with the idea of reading the letter, but it was for him anyhow. He read the letter and was almost in tears before he finished. He laughed in some parts and frowned in others.  
  
'She loves me, I know she does,' he thought over and over. He had to prove to her that she did love him. He was even more jealous of Juunana-gou than he was before. His eyes drifted down to the letter in his hands. A tired sigh escaped his mouth as he put the letter down on the table. He left the kitchen taking one last glance at the papers before going to the room with the television.  
  
  
Bra grabbed her denim jacket and put it on over her red sweater as she walked down the hallway to the living room. She frowned at the way he looked. "Gohan... is something wrong? You seem different." She sat beside him and glanced at him.  
  
Gohan smiled and shook his head. "Just thinking about things." He looked at her and ran his fingers through her hair. "I still don't understand your hair color."  
  
Bra pulled away from him. "I know you weren't thinking about that." She turned around to look at him. "What were you thinking about?"  
  
Gohan looked at her and smiled sadly. "If Pan-chan will ever understand and why would you even like an old guy like me."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Pan will come around eventually. She gets to things on her own time. Just because you've gotten over Videl-san's death doesn't mean she has." She sighed before going on. "And to why I like an old guy like you, is because I choose to be different. I don't meet people as sweet as you everyday. I should be asking you why you like someone as weird as me." She smirked before going on. "You're stuck with me for life, it's too late to change things now."  
  
He smiled at her. "I don't think I would want to change things anyhow." He smiled again before picking up the remote. "Let's watch the movies now."  
  
  
  
  
Ubuu followed Pan to a bench after walking around in the park for quite some time. He smiled to himself that she had calmed down over the shock of Gohan and Bra kissing in front of her. He was a little angry at the two because they had made her so mad. He shook off the feelings as he looked at her. She smiled at all the little kids as they went by. "Are you happy Pan-chan?"  
  
Pan turned around and looked at her boyfriend. She smiled and leaned in towards him. "I feel a lot better than I did yesterday." She looked up at the red sky. "It's going to get dark pretty soon."  
  
Ubuu nodded his head in agreement. He wrapped his arms around her tighter.   
  
Pan sighed happily. "I wish I could stay with you longer..." She trailed off not expecting him to really answer her. Evertime she talked about marriage, hinted at it, or anything like that he became quieter than he normally was. When he agreed she turned around in his arms to look at him confused. "What's that suppose to mean?"  
  
Ubuu felt his insides knot up and his heartbeat grow faster. He smiled to keep cool on the outside no matter how he felt on the inside. "I was going to do this next week, but now seems like the best time." He shifted to pull something out of his pocket and pulled away from her.   
  
Pan stared wide eyes at the small, black, velvet box in his hand. "Ubuu..."  
  
Ubuu sighed and opened the box for her to see. "Pan-chan, we've known each other for a long time. I really love you and I don't want to see you unhappy. I would do anything to keep you smiling." He hesitated feeling a deep panic rise in his gut. He swallowed the lump in his throat before asking, "Would you marry me?"  
  
Pan looked at him feeling tears burn her eyes. Her glassy eyes drifted from his face to the diamond ring with blue sapphires around it. She smiled and locked her eyes with his. "Yes," her voice croaked out.  
  
Ubuu smiled and placed the ring on her finger. "I mean everything I said, I really do love you. I don't want to see you unhappy."  
  
The tears rolled off her cheeks and she smiled at him. "I won't be now." She looked at the ring when the full impact hit her. "I'm getting married!" She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him full on the mouth. "I love you so much."  
  
She pulled away from him feeling different. She sat down beside him and laid back against him. "You know just what I need to make me happy, don't you?"  
  
Ubuu smiled and kissed her cheek. "I told you I would do anything to keep you smiling."  
  
  
  
  
Gohan checked the clock on on the wall and looked at Bra snuggled next to him. He frowned at the thought that she would have to move away from him for them to leave. "Bra, it's time for me to take you to that place."  
  
Bra yawned and looked up at him. "Can we go someplace to eat afterwards?"  
  
He nodded and turned the television off with the remote.  
  
Bra attached herself away from him to find her shoes. "I'll be right back." She hurried to her room and left him there alone.  
  
Gohan stared after her before looking at the kitchen entrance. He saw the corner of the papers and sighed. He would try and get through to her. If he couldn't do that then he would make his feelings clear to her tonight before he went on his convention.  
  
  
Bra walked by his side. She wondered what was going inside that head of his. He had been unusually quiet since they left her place. Her thoughts drifted off when she realized where they were headed to. "Gohan-chan?"  
  
He smiled down at her when she saw the building not far from here. "Remember when you said that you would sing a song one day?"  
  
Bra held her head down. "I didn't actually think you would listen to me. It's not going to be tonight hopefully."  
  
He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. "I listen to everything you say and if you don't want to you don't have to." He rubbed her arm and continued walking towards the building. "I have a surprise for you though."  
  
She looked up at him confused. "I don't get it?"  
  
He shrugged. "You'll see." He smiled devilishly at her to prove he wasn't going to reveal anything.  
  
She sighed and looked away from him. She would see what he was going to do soon enough.  
  
  
Gohan walked in the club scanning the area. Today was pretty crowded but he didn't worry about that. He searched for the manager of the place. His eyes came across the young man about twenty something. "Adam! Come here for a minute!" He called out to his friend.  
  
Gohan smiled when the man came to them. He looked out the corner of his eye at Bra before looking back at Adam. Gohan looked at his friend differently. Bra was closer to his age and he was handsome in a way. He diverted his thoughts and concentrated on the thing he wanted. "Adam, this is Bra." He looked proudly at her before looking back at him.   
  
Adam eyes went across the girl. She was more than pretty. She was the kind of person you don't see everyday. He smiled up at Gohan. "I'll get your girl an opening tonight if she wants to sing. If she can sing as good as she looks then there should be no problem." He smiled at her blushing face. "What's your name babe?"  
  
Bra smiled at the man. She assumed he was American by his strange accent. "It's okay, I don't want to. My name is Bra." She didn't bother to mention her last name.   
  
"Nice meeting ya." He wondered if Gohan and her were a couple. He didn't bother to ask, he just looked at her.  
  
"Thanks," Bra said.  
  
Adam nodded smiling a bit confused. "You're welcome."  
  
She grinned at him then at Gohan.  
  
Adam nodded and tore his gaze from her to Gohan. "Your usual?"  
  
Gohan nodded. "Yeah."  
  
Adam looked back at the young woman beside him. "Okay... you know when. Talk to ya later." He smiled friendly at Bra before he left.  
  
  
When he finally left Gohan wrapped his arm possessively around Bra. He felt like breaking every bone in Adam's body, but he knew the guy was only being nice.  
  
"So are you going to tell me what my surprise is?" She smiled sweetly up at him.  
  
Gohan chuckled and shook his head. "Just wait." He looked at the clock on the nearby wall and his face went blank. "I have to go get ready now." He left her in a table in a dark corner with a good view of the stage.   
  
He walked over to the DJ both and gave him the song. He smiled at Bra before heading towards the stage.  
  
  
Bra looked at him for some kind of hint to what he was going to do. She looked down at her drink and smile softly. It was like the first time she came here. She had her lemonade and now he was going to sing a song for her... again.   
  
When he came to the stage her heartbeat skipped every second beat. He was doing it again. He made her want to run up to him and ask him how he knew so much about her. That song... it reminded her of something. Bra bit her lower lip in concentration before the idea hit her like a sack of flour. 'He found my letter!' Her mind screamed to get out of the building fast. She knew she was overreacting but she couldn't take her chances.   
  
Her eyes searched for the door but frowned when she spotted it. "He must have known what I was going to do," she mumbled under her breath. She tried her best to calm down until he came to a part of the song that made her blood freeze.   
  
"Touch if u will my stomach/Feel how it trembles inside/You've got the butterflies all tied up/Don't make me chase u/Even doves have pride"  
  
Her eyes drifted over the crowd to see if anyone had noticed her uneasiness while he sang. She looked away from the crowd to Gohan again. He sang the chorus. What was he trying to do?  
  
"How can u just leave me standing?/Alone in a world so cold?/Maybe I'm just 2 demanding/Maybe I'm just like my father 2 bold/Maybe you're just like my mother/She's never satisfied/Why do we scream at each other/This is what it sounds like/When doves cry"  
  
Bra's tears ran down her face and she made no effort to stop them. He was doing it again to her and she couldn't stop the rush of feelings going around in her head. 'I hate him so much', she thought over and over. No one ever made her think about things the way he did.  
  
When the song ended, Bra stood up and clapped. It seemed like she wasn't the only crying. Her eyes scanned the area to see if he was coming towards her. When she couldn't find him she sat back down to finish her lemonade.  
  
  
Gohan stood out of eyesight from her. He just wanted to see the impact he had on her. He saw the dry tear marks on her face and smiled. He knew Juunana-gou didn't have this effect on her, why couldn't she see that? Juunana-gou didn't have a bond with her. But Juunana-gou had her. His eyes went down to his feet before looking back at her. It was her feelings on Juunana-gou that kept him and her from really being together. 'I wish I knew who she cares for more?' He breathed in deeply before walking to her.  
  
"So what did you think?" He placed his hands on her neck and massaged it gently as he talked from behind her.  
  
Bra scowled before bending her head back to look at him. "I hate you." She sat upright again to drink her lemonade.   
  
Gohan massaged her shoulders for a few more seconds before taking the seat opposite of her. "What did I do?" He smiled and reached for her hand.  
  
Bra scowled again before snatching her hand away from him. "You know exactly what you did! You found my letter! I can't believe you!" She yelled at him in a very loud whisper.  
  
Gohan smirked and looked up at the ceiling. "Well, it had my name on it." He looked back at her red face before continuing. "I guess this is what you meant by being the perfect combination of Vegeta-san and Bulma-san, ne?" He chuckled to himself when she stood up from the table.  
  
"I still hate you. You weren't suppose to read that. I wrote it to just release some stress... I didn't think you would actually find it." She turned to look at him again. "I hate you."  
  
He smiled as he stood up. "You don't hate me Bra-chan," he tilted her chin up to meet his eyes and spoke more softly at her. "You said yourself that you like me too much to be mad at me for long." He dropped her chin and stared at her longer. "I didn't mean to make you mad or embarrassed. I was trying to prove something to you."  
  
Bra felt a burning fury build up inside of her. He was doing it again but she didn't mind as much. "And what exactly would that be?"  
  
"Bra-chan, I don't think you know how much I care for you." He didn't take his eyes off of her know shocked face.  
  
"Gohan?"  
  
"Bra-chan, I think I may be falling for you. I've known ever since we came back from the video store."  
  
Bra's eyes widened. "What?"  
  
He tried to calm his fast beating heart. "Bra I think I love you."  
  
Bra stared at him more confused than ever. Both stood there soundlessly staring at each other waiting for some kind of response.  
  
  
  
  
  
Pan stared at her new ring while she rode in the car to Ubuu's place. Ubuu sneaked a few glances at her every once in while as he drove. There was a question he had been dying to ask her ever since they left the park, but he was afraid of how she might respond to it. The longer he thought about it, the more sense it made to go ahead and ask her. "Pan when are you going to tell you dad?"  
  
Pan looked at him startled. "I don't know. I think I'll tell him when he comes back from his convention. I'll have a week to think about things while he's away."  
  
A slight smile came to his face when she finished talking. She was willing to listen to her father and maybe hopefully she'll listen to Bra.  
  
  
  
  
  
Vegeta walked out of the shower. He grabbed his boxers before heading towards Bulma's and his room. He was still thinking about Bra. He always thought that she wouldn't be the one he had to worry about. He had told both of them that they could not get involved with Kakarott's brats. He told them what could happen.  
  
He stared at his wife next to him before going back to thinking. To make matters worse, she was involved with that cyborg along with that brat.   
  
He thought about his daughter again. Vegeta felt tears sting the back of his eyes. His toughts drifted to his alternate son more than thirty years before. He was going to lose another child and he could do nothing to stop it again. 'Why is it when someone needs me the most, I can't do anything about it.' He tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling before relaxing to drift off to sleep.  
  
  
  
  
"Gohan... are you sure? Maybe you have some kind of affection for me. It can't be love." Bra was barely aware that her voice was shaking.  
  
Gohan shook his head. "I've known this since yesterday. I love you Bra. I love everything about you. I think I've always felt that way."  
  
She still looked at him not believing his words. "When?"  
  
Gohan smiled ironically at her. "I think I first starting realizing it when I started paying more attention to you. It was strange, but I felt that I had to protect you." He stepped closer to her. "I'll understand if you don't agree with me, but I had to tell you." He traced her jaw line slowly. "I just had to let you know before I left on my convention." He bent down and kissed her sweetly.   
  
When they pulled apart he looked straight at her. "As to what you are to me now... that is up to you. I want you to be more to me than just my friend but if you want to be friends, that's fine with me."  
  
Bra looked straight ahead not really concentrating on anything in particular. "I don't get it?"  
  
Gohan looked at her. "You said in the letter you don't know how you feel about Juunana-gou and me. What we are," he pointed to both of them before continuing, "depends on you."  
  
Bra looked away. "Give me time to figure this all out." She sat back down at the table and looked at her empty lemonade glass. "I just need a few days to figure this all out."  
  
Gohan smiled. "You'll have plenty of time. Remember when I told you I would be leaving on some teaching convention next week?"  
  
She nodded. "So you'll be leaving when?"  
  
"Tomorrow."  
  
Both were quiet for some time before Bra broke it. "I guess this will be good for us in a way." She fished a cube of ice from the glass then spoke. "We'll get to see how things are without having each other around." 'And I get to spend time with Juu-kun and see what I feel about him', she thought. "You'll call me though, right?"  
  
He pulled her up from the seat. "You know I will." He hesitated before going on, "Bra, I told you how I felt because I wanted you to know before I left and I wanted you to think about how you feel about me." He caught her as she rolled her eyes. "I know you hate thinking about something for too long, just do this for me."  
  
She leaned in towards him. "I will... just be sure to call me everyday while you're gone."  
  
He kissed the top of her head. "I will, you can trust me on that."  
  
  
  
  
Trunks and Marron came into the hotel from the meeting. "That was boring. Why did I ever want to be your secretary anyway?" Marron complained as she undressed.  
  
Trunks shrugged his shoulders. "I think it was the thought of me being your boss." He smirked when an oncoming shoe came his way. "C'mon, I know you want to get back to Carmen and to talk to your uncle."  
  
Marron nodded as she stuffed her suitcase with the clothes she just removed. "What time do you think we'll get there?"  
  
He looked at the clock. "Check-out time is in fifteen minutes, and we can make it home in about an hour." He grabbed the bags and her hand as they walked to the hotel lobby.  
  
"I don't think we'll have to stop at Bra's place. She might be at his house."  
  
Trunks nodded as he pushed the elevator buttons. "So we're just gonna take our relatives and start asking what's wrong? Seems like a good plan to me."  
  
  
  
  
  
Juunana left Carmen playing in the living room as he went to answer the door. He thought it was Marron to pick her up, but was surprised when he saw someone else.  
  
"Hi, Juu-kun." Bra smiled brightly at him. She tried to hide her discomfort. It was like she and Gohan were strangers again. Being this close to him made her heart rate faster and her face to blush lightly. "May I come in?"  
  
Juunana moved aside for her to enter his house. He kept his eyes away from her as she walked past him. He wanted her so bad. 'Why am I feeling this way?' He thought miserably although he already knew the answer, he was crazy about the girl. "What brings you here?" He crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
Bra smiled at him. "I had to know if what I felt was right."  
  
Juunana was about to ask what she meant before she pinned him on the wall in a kiss. His shock faded away as he leaned into the kiss. When they parted he touched her cheek lightly as the corner of his mouth curled up. "What was that about?"  
  
Bra felt the butterflies in her stomach throw up. That voice of his made her want to fall in his arms. 'I hate Gohan! He made me lose my views on things,' she thought bitterly. She snapped out of her thoughts to look at him. "I really don't know. I had to know..."  
  
Juunana's eyebrow shot up at her strange answer. He studied her face and felt sick. 'She is involved with that brat. Why did she have to fall for him? Why did he have to get my girl?' He looked away from her to the ceiling as he leaned back against the wall. "Do you love him?"  
  
Bra forgot what she was thinking when she heard his voice. "What do you..."  
  
He dropped his arms from his chest. "Don't make me say that again," a tired sigh escaped his lips. "You and the brat... I know you two are more than friends."  
  
Bra didn't look away from him. She locked her eyes onto his and got an icy glare in return. "I don't know what we are. He wants to be more than friends... but it depends."  
  
He watched her before speaking. "And what would that be?"  
  
Bra fidgeted under his intense glare. "You. It depends on you."  
  
He looked away from her. He was silent for some time before managing to talk. "You obviously know how I feel about the situation."  
  
Bra's eyes hardened and she growled under her breath. "I don't know how you feel! You never tell me anything Juu-kun! Everything with you seems like a game!"  
  
Juunana locked eyes with her and didn't look away. 'I love you! I've always loved you Bra-chan!' He wished he could say it, but his pride got in the way. "I told you I liked you," he said low and seductively.  
  
  
Carmen was about to run up to hug her aunt but stopped entrance to the den. They seemed like they were arguing over Gohan-san or something like that. "This is probably what's got Jiisan Juu-kun upset," she whispered to herself. She shook her head slowly letting her pigtails hit her face. She never understood her aunt and uncle. They were too much alike. She was about to turn and go back to her toys when she saw the door open. "Mommy!!"  
  
  
Bra and Juunana stopped their staring contest when they heard Carmen's squeal "Mommy!!".  
  
Marron stepped in from the door with a set of keys in her left hand and reaching out for Carmen in another. "Hi sweetie!" She bent down to the floor to hug her daughter.  
  
Trunks walked in after his wife and smiled down at his little girl. "No hug for me?" He grinned down at the young girl as she threw herself in his arms.   
  
Marron smiled down at her daughter before looking at her uncle and sister-in-law. "Don't get mad Jiisan. I knocked at least five times and no one heard me. What's been going on?"  
  
Bra and Juunana exchanged glances before looking at the two. Carmen saw her aunt and uncle and sighed. "Mommy... they were arguing over Gohan-san."  
  
Marron looked down at the girl in confusion and Trunks's jaw clenched. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
  
  
  
  
Pan sat at the table looking at the phone. Ubuu walked in from the kitchen and frowned at her. "Pan... babe, just call her. I know you want to. It's been almost two days and you haven't talked to either of them." He gently laid one of his hands on her back.  
  
Pan looked over at his hand on her shoulder and smiled softly. "I don't know what to say to her."  
  
He rubbed her back soothingly. "You won't unless you call."  
  
Pan smiled at his gentle forcefulness. She picked up the phone and dialed her number. After a while she set the phone back on the hook.  
  
"Well... what happened?"  
  
She didn't take her eyes off the phone. "She wasn't home."  
  
  
  
  
Juunana shifted his gaze from her to his niece from time to time. It was obvious no one was willing to say anything else. He locked his eyes on her with his arm around his chest. "If you want to know what's going on, as her. All this happened because of her." Juunana looked away from his arm to her. His eyes twinkled devilishly. He smirked at Bra before addressing Marron and Trunks again. "But it will have to wait until I'm through talking to her."  
  
Bra's anger boiled inside as she saw the confident smirk play on his lips. "I thought we were through talking?" She said through clenched teeth.  
  
  
Marron and Trunks traded confused glances before looking back at the other two. There was something they were not telling them. And what did Gohan have to do with all of this?  
  
  
Juunana ignored the people around him as he put his arm around Bra. He looked over her shoulder at his niece and her husband. "Stay, here," he said before leaving out of the house with Bra.  
  
Bra wanted to argue with him more, but she knew her efforts would be in vain. "What's going on Juu-kun?"  
  
Juunana looked at her intently before taking her hand in his. "I don't know... you tell me." He didn't bother to meet her eyes. Everything about her made him weak. His eyes looked over her hand and a small smile came to his lips. She was one weakness he didn't mind having though. 'Doesn't she what she does to me?' He thought bitterly.  
  
"Juu-kun stop it," she said softly as she pulled her hand away from him. His frosty, pale, blue eyes came up to meet her face and she frowned. "I know what you want to talk about and why is it so important to you?"  
  
Juunana's eyes hardened. "You know why it's important to me. I thought we..." Juunana felt uneasy. He had never faltered on his words before. He always knew what to say. Why was this happening now?  
  
"What, Juu-kun? You made it clear to me we were an on again off again couple. What am I suppose to do? Wait for you until you decide what you finally want from me?"  
  
Juunana was speechless. He knew it was unfair to her, but he couldn't say it. He couldn't bring himself to say those words that would change everything between them.  
  
Bra wanted to slap him but she held back her anger at him. "I don't understand you. You won't tell me what's going through that head of yours. You..." Bra felt her face getting hotter hut she ignored the heat. He voice dropped to a tone below normal as she talked again. "I don't want to tell you this, but you should know. Gohan said he loves me and he wants to be something more than friends, but we can't." She looked straight at him. "It's because of you. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm probably in love with someone who will never love me while there is someone else I'm bonded to and he loves me. What am I suppose to do? I am in love with two people and I don't understand either of them."  
  
Juunana tentatively grabbed her and held her in his arms. 'She loves me... but she loves him too.' He tried to push his thoughts in the back of his head but it kept popping up. He wanted to tell her, but why couldn't he? Why couldn't he tell her how he felt?  
  
Bra wanted to stay out of his hold on her, but she couldn't. It felt right, but what did that say about her and Gohan?  
  
She felt tears burn her eyes threatening to spill over. 'Why can't I decide? Why is this so confusing?' She thought but she knew the answers already. She knew why her father had warned her not to get too involved with 'Kakarott's brats'. 'If only I listened...' She buried her face deeper into Juu-kun's shirt. 'Why did all of this have to happen now?'  
  
  
  
Trunks peeked out of the window. He wondered briefly what had gotten his imotochan so worked up. His eyebrows creased up and a frown came across his face. 'What the hell has been going on?' He sighed and walked away from the window when he saw the two coming.  
  
"Stop worrying so much. They will tell us... eventually," Marron said as she came back from the back room with Carmen's bag.  
  
Trunks snorted. "That's what I'm worried about. How eventually will they tell us?" He walked to the nearby chair and sat down. "I've got to get Bra alone to talk to her."  
  
Marron didn't say anything at his reply. She knew how he could be at times and it was annoying. Only his father and her uncle were more stubborn than he was.  
  
  
Juunana opened the door to his cabin. He ushered Bra in before looking at his nieces. "You want to talk now or later."  
  
"Now."  
  
"Shut-up. We'll talk later Jiisan. Thanks for watching Carmen for us." Marron moved out of the way to hug her uncle. "I'll call unless you want me to come by."  
  
Juunana shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me."  
  
She smiled slightly before turning around to glare at Trunks. "Trunks and I have to leave now. We didn't unpack before we came here."  
  
Trunks sighed mentally. He really needed to talk to his sister. "Marron, can I talk to Bra for a couple of hours. I'll be home before dinner." His eyes met hers for a waiting answer. "We have a few things we need to talk about. Plus we have to stop my parents house for something."  
  
Marron waved. "I still don't know how you do it, just be back before it gets too late." She kissed his cheek and left took Carmen's hand. "Bye," she called as she exited out of the door.  
  
  
Bra looked at Trunks for some kind of response to why he wanted o talk to her. When he didn't reveal anything she looked for her coat. "I'll see you later, Juu-kun." She paused for a second before kissing his cheek. "Come on Trunks, we can talk about whatever is on your mind on our way to Capsule Corp."  
  
Trunks waved at Juunana-gou as he left the house. When they had gotten a few meters away from Juunana, he broke the silence. "Bra-chan, what has been going on? What's going on with you and Juunana-san and Gohan-san?"  
  
Bra rolled her eyes at his inquisitiveness. "Why is it so important?"  
  
His blue eyes narrowed down at her. "I don't know. I've been getting these funny feelings while I was in Greece. I was worried about you while I was away. Something isn't right about you and you won't tell me."  
  
She looked up at him above her eyelashes. She didn't say anything as she walked on. Her arms crossed over her chest as she continued to pick up speed.  
  
Trunks saw her move and walked up to catch up with her. "Bra... tell me."  
  
Bra wanted to ignore him and walk to her apartment but the tone he used made her twitched on the inside. "I've bonded to someone."   
  
Trunks's jaw dropped open. "You can't be serious. You?!"  
  
She regretted already what she had said.   
  
"So who is the guy? It's Juunana-gou, isn't it? I knew it! That's why Marron and I have been feeling funny!"  
  
"Shut up Trunks. It's not with Juu-kun."  
  
His eyebrows went up. "Then with who?" He felt his stomach do cartwheels. "It can't be..."  
  
Bra turned to face him. Her eyes daring him to say something about it. "It's Gohan. What do you have say about it?"  
  
Trunks wanted to punch something. This could not be happening. His eyes darkened and he tilted his head in an angle. He wasn't aware how much he looked like his father at that moment. "What are you going to do?"  
  
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I just have to see what happens."  
  
Trunks felt the muscles in his jaw tighten up. "I'm not talking about that. What are you going to do about..." He trailed off. He didn't want to say it. He couldn't say it.  
  
"I don't know. Don't say anything to anyone. Gohan doesn't know neither does Juu-kun. And I don't want them to know," she said in a low tone.  
  
He felt his eyes getting damp. He shook his head from side to side. "They have a right to know Bra-chan." He ran his fingers through his hair when another thought came to him. "What about papa and mom?"  
  
"Papa knows. He was the first person I told." She looked away from him. "Plus you know how I feel about mom. We were never close. Why should I tell her?"  
  
Trunks looked up. "Bra! Think about it! That's your mother... she has a right to know. Does it matter that you two disagree about everything? Tell her what's been going on because if you don't, I will."  
  
She scowled at him. "I can't stand you."  
  
He touched her shoulder gently. "Bra, if someone doesn't keep you thinking about the realistic things no one will. I just don't want to see mom upset if she finds out from someone else. Think about how she would feel."   
  
"You're only saying that because you're her favorite. You did everything she told you to do. I can't stand listening to her."  
  
He shook his head again. "You can't stand listening to anyone. Just do this for me. Please?"  
  
She looked to her side. "I'm not explaining nothing to her but I'll tell her."  
  
He sighed. He didn't try anymore than that. He was lucky he had gotten her to do that much. "Thanks."  
  
"Whatever. Let's get there. The faster I tell her the faster I can get home." She walked away from him towards the main roads leading into the city.  
  
  
  
  
Bulma smiled as she opened the door. "You cut your trip short?" She kissed her son's cheek as she moved to the side so he could come in. Her smiled widened when she saw her daughter follow him. "Bra-chan?"  
  
  
Bra resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her mother. 'I wish I was anywhere but here. I don't want to be near this woman,' she thought bitterly.  
  
Trunks looked back at his sister and hoped that she would hold in whatever she wanted to tell mom. The two never had gotten along since Bra graduated. He shoved his thoughts aside and wrapped his arm around Bra. "I came to tell you I rescheduled two deals for later next month." He tapped his fingers on his sister's shoulder. "And Bra said she has something to tell you because if she doesn't, I will."  
  
Bra wanted to choke him.  
  
  
Bulma looked at her two children in confusion. "I don't understand..."  
  
Trunks pushed her towards their mother. Bra looked at the ground. She hated talking to her. Everything she said always ended being twisted into something else. "I've gotten involved with someone you're not going to like and I don't care what you think about it." She looked up at her mother and crossed her arms.  
  
Trunks sighed deeply at his sister's behavior.  
  
  
"Who is it?" Bulma tried to seem like she was okay with her daughter's attitude, but she knew it would happen this way. She was too much like Vegeta and herself.  
  
"It's Gohan," she said softly. She didn't feel like playing games with her. She just wanted to leave.  
  
Bulma was quiet for a while. "Isn't he too old for you? What would your father think? I thought you were with Goten? How long has this been going on?"  
  
Bra felt her anger start to simmer but she kept her temper in check. "I'll decide who is too old for me and who isn't. Papa doesn't like anything related to Goku-san... but he never mentioned anything about Gohan's age. Goten and I have been through for almost two years now. And is it any of your business how long this has been going on?" Her tone of voice was calm but it held a sense of authority in it.  
  
Bulma could do nothing but shake her head. "If you came here for my approval, don't depend on it."  
  
The younger woman snorted. "I don't answer to you. I didn't even want to tell you, but the baka over there thought you should know. I really don't care what you say about me. Just don't bring Gohan into this. This is our business and has nothing to do with you or your opinions." Bra kept a cool exterior but she was smiling on the inside. She had always gotten a kick out of making her mother mad.  
  
Bulma wanted to cry. What had happened between them? In the past they could have talked to each other without getting into an argument. "Fine Bra... do your own thing, but don't come crying to me when something bad happens between you two."  
  
Bra rolled her eyes as she headed for the door. "I'm not you... so stop trying to live my life. If something bad happens, then it's my mistake." She called good-bye over her shoulder as she headed out of the house. She was once again reminded why she didn't like coming home anymore.  
  
  
  
  
Gohan checked his watch, it would be close to nine where she was. He picked up the phone and decided to call her.  
  
"Hello, this is Bra speaking. Who may I ask is this?"   
  
Gohan smiled at the sound of her voice. It made the past hours of meetings and the reading he had to do seem not as exhausting. "This is Gohan. What's been going on?"  
  
Bra smiled on the other line. "The usual. I talked to Juu-kun and got even more confused. I hate you, you know that right?"  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
"You made me lose focus on things. I used to understand Juu-kun but it seems like he is even more confused than I am. Then Trunks made me talk to my mom. I can't stand that woman. If she doesn't have her way she's acts like you just committed a crime. Even when she does get her way she still isn't satisfied. She expects to much from me and I'm not listening to her. Just because I happen to look like her doesn't mean that I have to live her life. I never liked robotics or engineering. It's boring. Why can't she understand what I want to do. I'm going to do what I want and I don't give a damn what she says about it. Papa always understood that, why the hell can't she?"  
  
Gohan held the phone away from his ear. He wanted to laugh but at the same time he wanted to comfort her. "I don't know what to say."  
  
"Don't say anything at all, I just had to tell someone." Bra stopped talking when she heard a knock at her door. "Hold on, someone is at the door."  
  
She left the phone turned down on her bed as she walked out of her room to answer the door. "Who is it?" She called from behind the door.  
  
"Bra-chan, open up! It's me Pan, we gotta talk."  
  
Bra looked at the door for a while before doing as she was told. "Pan-chan... how are you?"  
  
Pan didn't say anything as she brushed by her. "We've got to talk." She crossed her arms over her chest.   
  
Bra nodded her head in agreement. "Ohh... well can you wait for a minute. I have to hang up the phone." She walked away when the other woman nodded.  
  
"I've got to go. Pan-chan is here."  
  
Gohan sighed and felt ten years older. "Hope everything goes well."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"I come back tomorrow night." He was silent before saying the next part. "I love you Bra..."  
  
Bra was shocked to hear him say that again. "Um... okay. Bye." She hung up the phone. She didn't know what to say to that. She took one last glance at the phone before walking to meet Pan.  
  
"Do you love him?"  
  
Bra cringed. Why did everyone want to know that. She sat down on the couch and held a hand to her head. "I don't know. I like him more than I should... but I don't know if it's love."  
  
Pan nodded. She looked around the spacious apartment. "Does he love you?" She really didn't want to hear the answer, but she had to know.   
  
"He said he does, but I don't know. He barely knows me, but he said he loved me."  
  
Pan felt something break. She wanted to cry but she couldn't bring herself to do that. She would appear weak, and that's the last thing she wanted. Hoarsely she whispered, "So you're not trying to steal him away from me?"  
  
Bra looked up at her friend. Her shiny, black hair covered half of her face. The half that she could see clearly made her frown. Those indigo eyes of hers made her feel a bit guilty. She scanned over her athletic frame and smiled slightly. "I would never try and take your father away from you. What happened between us, just happened. I never wanted to hurt you and you know he didn't want to either. I care about you too much to hurt you on purpose. You already know how much your father needs you... don't stop talking to him just because you are hurt by what had happened." Bra sighed before continuing. "You seem better than you did two days ago."  
  
Pan smiled. She uncrossed her arms. "I am. Ubuu is the sweetest person ever. What he did for me made my day. If it wasn't for him, I would have been happy hating you." She managed to give the other girl a friendly smirk.  
  
"I see. So when did he propose?" Bra smiled brightly at Pan's laughter.  
  
Pan laughed. "Yesterday." Pan smiled at the other girl. She still didn't like what was going on, but at least she didn't have intentions on replacing her mother. "Did you tell Juu-kun?"  
  
Bra grew quiet. A tight smile replaced her previous one. "I didn't tell him. He figured it out on his own. I don't know what to do about it. I don't know if I love him or Gohan. It's confusing."  
  
Pan nodded. She was quiet again before asking another question. "So if you have to pick between Juu-kun and my father, who would it be?"  
  
Bra didn't say anything as she looked at her.   
  
  
  
  
I don't own DBZ/GT. I also don't own "Killing Me Softly," it belongs to Roberta Flack. So please don't sue.  
  



	3. Killing Me Softly-- Part Three

  
  
  
  
Title: Killing Me Softly  
by: Ashley  
  
  
  
He sang as if he knew me in all my dark despair   
and then he looked right through me as if I wasn't there.   
But he just came to singing, singing clear and strong.  
  
  
  
"So, if you had to choose between Juu-kun or my father, who would it be?" Pan tilted her head to the side. Her black hair fell to her shoulder and her eyes were glued on her friend.  
  
Bra it her lip. She was quiet for some time before she answered her question. "Why am I being drilled for questions today?" She tried to laugh but no sound would come.   
  
Pan shook her head. "Bra-chan, you don't know, do you?" She never took her eyes off of the other person.  
  
"I don't know. I never really had to think about it. No one has really made me choose." Bra looked down at her lap. She couldn't face her friend. 'What if I pick Gohan? What will happen to Juu-kun? But what if I pick Juu-kun, will Gohan be okay? Do I love them both?'  
  
Pan looked at her. Her face held no emotion,just an empty expression. "Bra-chan, I don't want to make it seem like I still hate the idea of my father and you. I don't like the idea   
but since there's nothing I can do about it, I might as well understand what I can." Pan looked around for her coat. When she spotted it thrown over a chair she picked it up. "You've got to choose which one is more important to you. It might not be now but you've got to choose sometime. I just thought you would need something to think about. You know Juu-kun, he isn't going to wait forever. My father has too much patience for his own good, but it's wearing down. If both of them know about each other, and both do not like each other, you've only got so much time before you have to decide. You are gonna have to pick before you lose them both." Pan pushed a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. "So who would it be?"  
  
Bra looked up to meet her. Her expression was blank. "I don't know. I really don't. If I leave Gohan-chan, I could never live with myself, literally. If I leave Juu-kun, I could never look at him the same way again. This is just too confusing."  
  
Pan tried to look supportive but she winced when she called her father 'chan'. 'Ugh... if I ever get used to this. What if my best friend becomes my mo... yuck!' She winced again at the thought. "I'll be leaving now. Sorry to make you think about things, but it's something you're going to have to face sooner or later." Pan walked to the door and held the door ajar. "Don't do anything stupid yet Bra-chan."  
  
Bra had gotten up from the couch to walk Pan to the door. When she said her last words she stepped back. "What?"  
  
Pan's gaze didn't waver. "I know what you're thinking. It's not time yet, don't hurt yourself more than you need to."  
  
"How did you..."  
  
"Why did you think I never told anybody about my little crush on Trunks? I know what happens between half-breeds."  
  
"But you're not a half-breed."  
  
"Makes no difference. Your father told me about bonds when I was following Trunks before." She smiled at the memory. "What he said was enough to keep me away from him. Plus, Trunks isn't my type. I don't see how Marron stands him."  
  
Bra smiled kindly at her. "I wonder about that at times too." She walked closer to her friend. "I'm not afraid of it. I just wonder how it's going to happen."  
  
"You are braver than I could ever be." Pan moved to give her a hug. "Take care Bra, don't do anything stupid." She walked out of the door and closed it behind her.  
  
Bra watched the door close after Pan. She felt a little nervous now for some reason. 'Just great, now I'm paranoid about something stupid.' She thought about Gohan and Juunana. 'Who would I pick? What will happen to the other?'  
  
She thought about her little argument with Juu-kun earlier today. It was so easy to get mad at him but making up was just as easy. She thought back to what he said earlier. "I told you I liked you," were his words. She wondered if he could ever love her. 'He must feel something for me if he sticks around this long,' she thought sadly.  
  
Her thoughts drifted over to Gohan. It was hard to get mad at him so there weren't many making ups. He was sweet, considerate, nice, smart, cute, and he said he loved her. He was everything she could want, yet she wanted something more. Gohan didn't have the passionate, raw desire Juu-kun had around her. He had a subtle, more gentler, sweet sex appeal about him. 'I love Juu-kun, but didn't I tell him I loved Gohan too? Why can't I tell that to him? I can't live without Gohan now, but I want Juu-kun. I loved Juu-kun ever since he was there for me after my break-up with Goten. Gohan, I don't know! I fell for him so fast and I didn't want to. Juu-kun or Gohan, Juu-kun or Gohan...'  
  
She gave up trying to decide. She wanted both. There was no way of choosing. If Juu-kun had said he loved her, it would've probably have made a difference, but not likely. What can you do when you love two men?   
  
Bra held up a hand to her head. She would think more about this tomorrow. She slowly treaded her way back to her room. 'I've got to get away.' She thought about it more and more and decided she really had to get away. 'I'm not leaving this place tomorrow. I don't care what comes up,' she thought while changing into her pajama's.  
  
  
  
  
Pan closed the door as quietly as she could. Her hands reached up to the lock and turned it clockwise. She stood there for a moment before turning around and walking away.   
  
She fumbled in dark a bit. Her hand came up to her nose when she bumped into something. "Ouch!" She massaged her nose. Her eyes strained a bit to see what had caused her moment of clumsiness. Her hands went out and felt around something warm and fleshy. "Ubuu-kun?"  
  
He smiled and grabbed her in his arms. "How did it go with Bra?"  
  
Pan shook her head in his grasp. He knew where she went but he acted like nothing happened. She breathed in his scent before letting out a deep breath. "Better than I expected."  
  
Ubuu pulled her out of his grasp and held her at arms length. "You don't sound like it went that way. What happened?"  
  
"Bra really likes my father but you know she's involved with Juu-kun. The girl is confused and it's sad to see her this way. I asked her a question and it took her forever to get an answer out of her. And when I did get one, she said she didn't know." She held a hand behind her head and looked at the ceiling.  
  
"That's bad. I have a feeling that there is something even worse that you're not telling me." His narrowed his eyes slightly at her.  
  
A deep sigh escaped her lips. She scratched her head lightly. "Something's gonna happen and it's not going to be good." She dropped her head and looked at him evenly. "I don't know exactly what is going to happen. I do know that it's going to hurt a lot of people. It's not fair. It shouldn't happen now."  
  
Ubuu didn't press her any further for details no matter how much he wanted to know. He eyed his fiancée in concern. Whatever was coming was draining her. He stepped closer to her. "C'mon Pan-chan, you seem tired. Let's go to bed."   
  
Pan nodded with sleep filling her senses. She let him pull her into the room to get to bed. 'I wish I could help you guys out, but there's nothing I can do.'  
  
  
  
  
Goten walked cautiously to her door. It had been almost three years since he saw her last. He cringed on the inside. 'I hope she still doesn't hate me. I didn't know what I was doing then,' he thought a bit scared. Hesitantly he raised his fist to knock on the door. His eyes glanced down at his watch. This is early in her time frame. He heard a groggily voice ask who was there. A smile lightened his features. 'Maybe things can go back to the way they once were.'  
  
"Bra-chan, it's Go--" He was cut off when the door opened.  
  
"Gohan! I thought... Goten?" She stood there with a confused look on her tired face. She bit her index finger's nail as she stood there in an old shirt with her hair thrown about. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Goten almost fell over. She looked even more gorgeous than he remembered her. Time was anything but mean to her. His eyes searched over her body before resting on her face. He smiled again until he remembered what she had called him first. "Gohan? Why would you think I was Gohan?" The smile left his eyes and was replaced by a hurt, confused look.   
  
Bra smiled sheepishly at him. "Good morning to you too, Goten." She moved aside and gestured for him to enter her place.   
  
He felt a little depressed that she hadn't called him 'kun' or something like that. "Yeah, sorry about that Bra-chan." He grinned at her and scratched the back of his head. "Um, why did you call me Gohan?"  
  
Bra grinned at him again. Her eyes seemed to glow when he mentioned his brother's name. "Oh, Gohan-chan went away for a convention two days ago. He said he would be back today." She said nonchalantly.  
  
Goten grew even more confused. 'When did she start calling Gohan anything but Gohan-san? When did she become friends with him?' "Bra," he said slowly, "is there something going on between oniisan and you?"   
  
Bra resisted an urge to laugh in his face. There was a suspicious gleam in his eyes that she found funny. 'Serves him right. He is the one who dumped me for his ex,' she thought. She walked around him to get to a chair. "Gohan-chan and I are close, that's all you need to know. If you want to know anything else you go talk to him."   
  
Goten bit the insides of his mouth. This is not what he had planned. She was suppose to fall right into his arms. She was suppose to still love him. So, why was this happening? He straightened his face and looked at her. "So are you seeing anyone? It's been a long time."  
  
Bra wanted to sigh and roll her eyes but she pushed her thoughts aside. The question he asked struck a nerve within her. "I don't know how to answer that. I'm kinda with two people, but there's no commitment between either one of them." She played with her hands in her lap as she answered him.  
  
Goten was even more mixed-up by her answer. He thought about it for some time before speaking again. "What's that supposed to mean? Who are you with?" He felt a sudden sickness in the pit of his stomach when the words were out of his mouth. 'Do I really want to hear this?'  
  
Bra looked at him cock-eyed. 'Does he really want to hear this?' She sighed. She wanted to hurt him as bad as he had hurt her three years ago, but why did she feel as if she was letting herself down. 'Because your gonna make things rocky between Gohan and him. You're gonna hurt Gohan,' she thought. The more she thought about it, the less sense it made. Someone had to tell Goten, it might as well be her. "I'm with Juu-kun."  
  
Goten made a face. "Juunana-gou?" He asked in bewilderment. He looked at her and noticed she wasn't kidding about it. "Okay. Then who's the other guy?"  
  
Bra stood up. She looked even more tired than she had fifteen minutes ago. "It's Gohan-chan."  
  
Goten felt a burning, heated fury rising up inside of him. 'When the hell had all of this happened and why was he the last to know?'  
  
  
  
  
Marron knocked softly on his door. She didn't bother to call ahead, he knew she was coming sooner or later. She waited patiently for him to come and answer the door.  
  
Juunana walked in from the back door sweaty and tired. He would shower later, right now he was thirsty. He turned in the direction of the kitchen. He was at the doorway when he heard a knock coming from the front door. 'Who could this be?' He changed directions and went to answer the door.   
  
Marron smiled when she saw her uncle standing in front of her. Her smile quickly faded as a blush highlighted her cheeks. He stood in front of her without a shirt and sweat glistened his toned chest. She looked down at her feet in embarrassment. This was too weird for words. "Jiisan, you told me to come later and..." She trailed off when she saw him move aside.  
  
"Come in. Sorry, I forgot about it. Let me get something to drink before we talk. You can go get something too if you want." He walked away from his niece to the kitchen to get some water.   
  
Marron walked to a chair and sat down. "I'm okay. I can't stay long, but I have been thinking about this for too long."   
  
Juunana quirked and eyebrow at her before smirking. "Marron-chan, you're still the same, eh?" He walked out of his kitchen with a water bottle in his hand.  
  
Marron looked at him confused. "What?"  
  
He sat down in front of her with his arrogant smirk still on his lips. "You could never tell anyone what you really wanted from them. It takes you forever to take what you want," he said cool and calmly. He pinched her nose and smiled at her before backing away. "Don't get mad. I just wanted to see your reaction." He smiled again at her reddening face. "So you came all this way because you're worried about Bra and I?"  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
He took a long sip from his water bottle before shaking his head. "Do I really look that dumb?"  
  
Marron couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. She became more comfortable before looking at him in the face. "So now that you know what I want, no use stalling." The smile dropped off of her face and she looked serious. "Do you love her?"  
  
Juunana laid one arm over his chest and looked at her funny. After some time he answered. "I don't know. I feel something for her."   
  
Marron watched intently as the emotions ran across his face. She felt pity for her uncle but she wouldn't interfere with his problems. She just wanted to know what was happening so she could be there for him if he needed her help on anything. The latter wasn't probable anyhow. "So, does she love you?"  
  
Juunana couldn't keep himself from scowling. "I really don't know." He let his words sink in before continuing. "Marron, I don't think this conversation is going anywhere. You'll be the first person to know if there is a change of plans." He sighed and got up off the couch. "I told you this yesterday, you've got to talk to her if you want to know anything. I am as lost as you when it comes to understanding her, but that's what I like about her." He gave his niece a small kiss on her cheek and his famous smirk. "Don't worry about me, keep an eye on that kid of yours."  
  
She smiled and rose up off of her seat. "Bye Jiisan. I'll talk to you later." Marron headed for the door and smiled back at her uncle again before leaving. 'He's going to lose her if he doesn't tell her how he feels,' she thought before getting into her aircar.  
  
  
  
  
"Bra-chan when did all of this happen?" Goten didn't take his eyes off of her.   
  
Bra finally rolled her eyes at him. "Does it really matter? What are you going to do about it?" Bra crossed her arms defiantly.  
  
Goten's eyes narrowed down at her. "What does it matter?! I find out that my brother is making the moves on my girl! He's too old for you! It's just sick!"  
  
Bra's temper was slowly rising. She got up off her seat and glared at him. "First of all, when was I ever your girl? I believe we were through years ago. Secondly, I will decide who is too old for me. I am grown and I make my own decisions. You do not tell me what to do, is that clear?"   
  
Goten self-consciously took a step back from her glare. "I care about you Bra-chan, you've always known that. But out of all the people in the world, why did it have to be my brother?" His eyes lost some of the anger tinge to it as he looked over her.  
  
Bra shrugged her shoulders. "Would it have made a difference if it wasn't Gohan-chan? I'm with Juu-kun too, what do you have to say about that? Guess what," she walked closer to him smirking all the way. "I think I love them both. They mean more to me than you ever did. I don't know what I ever saw in you," she laughed lightly as she saw his face fall.  
  
Goten could not believe what he was hearing. 'This is not happening. She cannot be serious. I thought she loved me!' He watched her longer. He knew whatever chance he had ever had with her was ruined. "I thought you loved me," he said softly.  
  
Bra's face twisted with annoyance and guilt. "I did, but you never loved me." She looked up at him without the anger or annoyance anymore. "Juu-kun was there for me when you left. I fell for him that day. Gohan was there for me when I was feeling lonely. They were there for me when no one else cared. You obviously don't care. If you did care, you would have been with me instead of with her. Goten, you pay attention to everything but what's in front of you. Now that you finally decide that you care about me, what am I suppose to do? If you expect me to fall for you like I did when I was sixteen, you're wrong. I'm not that same person. I don't want to be that same person. If you came here to find things exactly the way they were when you left, sorry to disappoint you."  
  
Goten didn't say anything. He turned around and headed for the door to leave. Bra's voice made him stop in his tracks before he turned the handle.  
  
"Don't walk away mad just because you expected things to be the same as they were. You found a way to get over me once, I'm sure as hell you can do it again."  
  
Goten felt embarrassed and irritated by the girl. "Bye Bra." He didn't wait for an answer. He exited the apartment and slammed the door behind him.  
  
Bra looked at his retreating back. A small smile graced her features. She had always wanted to hurt him the same way he had hurt her two years before. Why did he suddenly come back for her anyway? She thought over the question again and again until the answer finally came to her. "Why can't she just leave me alone?!" Bra went back to bed to get as much sleep as she could. She's the only one who would do this. It was just another reason to hate her mother for interfering with her life.  
  
  
  
  
Bulma didn't bother to call ahead. She sat at a nearby restaurant waiting for Goten to come back. He would probably get her daughter's infatuation off of Gohan. When she saw him coming she frowned. This was not the reaction she had expected. "Did it all go well?"  
  
Goten did all but growl at her. "Did you know she's with Juunana-gou too?"  
  
Bulma's frown deepened. "I didn't know," she stuttered.  
  
Goten stood in front of the table. "Bulma-san, there is a lot you don't know about her. She isn't going to listen to you. From what I know, she is more than just infatuated with my brother. Just leave her alone, she'll talk to you when she wants. Don't make her even angrier at you than necessary. Trust me, I know. I don't even know why I agreed to do this. I should have known she would never forgive me." Goten smiled at Bulma again before departing away from her. He knew she was going to regret pushing her daughter too far, it was only a matter of time. Whatever he said, she wouldn't listen anyhow.  
  
  
  
Marron made a sharp turn to her right. She drove up to a small complex of apartment buildings. She bit the insides of her mouth. 'Maybe this isn't such a good idea,' she thought as she got out of the car. Despite her thoughts she walked to the building and headed for Bra's place. When she stood in front of Room 195 she knocked lightly on the wooden door.  
  
  
Bra threw the blankets off of her once again. 'Why the hell does everyone want to mess with me on my sleep day?' She walked groggily to the door. "Who is it, and if you're my mother or Goten go away!"  
  
Marron smiled a bit embarrassed from the other side of the door. "Uhh, it's me, Marron."  
  
Bra's face lightened up some but not by much. "Come in, it's open." She trotted to the couch to stretch out.  
  
Marron let herself in and closed the door behind her. She tried to familiarize herself in the dark room. When she spotted her friend's form on a nearby couch she took a chair close by her. "So how have you been Bra-chan?"  
  
Bra's eyes were heavy with sleep. She wondered briefly if this was going to be another interview on why she shouldn't be with Gohan. The thought quickly faded away. She knew Marron well enough to know she didn't give a damn about who she dated, as long as she didn't hurt... "Marron, are you here to talk about Juu-kun?"  
  
Marron nodded her head impatiently. "Bra don't hurt him. He really does love you, but he has a hard time expressing himself with words. If you don't want him around at least break things off with him. It's not right to hurt him like that."   
  
Bra waved her hand in dismissal. "Marron don't talk to me about things not being right, because I know. I love him, but what am I suppose to do while he finally decides what he wants from me. I didn't plan on falling for Gohan-chan, it happened. When Gohan entered the picture things just got complicated." Bra yawned before continuing again. "Juu-kun and I were having problems before any of this happened. He can't decide what he wants right away and I get frustrated too easily. I really do love Juu-kun, but I love Gohan too. You don't have to tell me about things. I know this isn't right." Bra hit the cushions of the couch hard. 'Why is this happening now? Does everyone want to give me a hard time or something?'  
  
Marron's eyes narrowed slightly. A tired sigh escaped her mouth. "Bra, you know I love you like you were my own sister, but I'm worried about things. I was positive you and Jiisan were going to get married--"  
  
Bra cut her off right there. "I've told you this since I was old enough to understand the meaning of that. I don't want to get married. I don't want a husband. I don't want to live happily ever after. I just want someone to count on and an occasional..."  
  
"I get the point." She smiled at her face. Some things had not changed. "I forgot. I mean, that I assumed that you two would end up together. I just never imagined that--"  
  
"I know what you mean, but things don't always go as planned." She was quiet for some time before finally speaking again. "Marron, I know you're worried about your uncle but this is confusing for both of us. You can trust me on this, things are going to get better for Juu-kun. I promise you that."  
  
Marron looked at the other girl strangely. She wanted to warn her about something but she didn't know what exactly. "Bra, I've got to go," she rose up off of her cushy chair and walked for the door. "Just take care, okay?"  
  
Bra rolled her eyes. "I'm going to be fine, I don't know why everybody is so stressed about it." She got up shakily up off the couch.   
  
"And be careful around my uncle. Someone has got to worry over him since he's not doing a good job of it." Her hands reached for handle. "Take care," she said over her shoulder as she left.  
  
Bra stood at the door shaking her head. She locked it before heading back to bed. 'Just great. I have two overprotective friends. Marron's worried about how I'm going to treat Juu-kun, and Pan is worried about how I'm going to treat Gohan. They don't even understand,' she thought as she climbed into bed.  
  
  
  
  
Bulma sat at the restaurant looking at her daughter's apartment. 'I wish she would just listen to me sometimes. I only want what's best for her. I want to apologize but how can I when she can't stand to see me for more than five minutes without getting pissed off at me.' A low sigh escaped Bulma's mouth. She sat there stirring her cocoa. When she brought the mug to her lips a familiar head walked by. "Juunana-gou?!"  
  
She watched as the young looking cyborg entered Bra's apartment complex. She set the mug down at the table. How long has she been involved with Juunana-gou? This time, a tear slid down her cheek. When had she lost all contact with her daughter? Was she still mad about her graduation? More tears broke loose. "I said I was sorry Bra-chan, please forgive me," she whispered to herself.  
  
  
  
  
Juunana looked at the door. 'Room 195,' he thought to himself. He traced the gold numbers with his index finger. He remembered when she first moved here. He had helped her bring in all of her stuff. They played and laughed that day. A wry smile came to his lips. It was May 19, when she had moved here. It was there first kiss and among other things. He smirked before knocking the door. He had to tell her now before it was too late.  
  
  
Bra threw the covers over her head again. When the knocking wouldn't quit she got up off of the bed. She looked at it sadly before going to answer the door. 'Everyone wants to come see me on my day off,' she thought bitterly. She yawned as she opened to door to come face to face with him.  
  
"Juu-kun..."  
  
He stepped in and took her hand. This was going to be much harder than he thought. "Bra, I wanted to tell you something."  
  
Bra looked at her hand in his and smiled softly. All thoughts of Gohan, Goten, Pan, Marron, Trunks, and her mother seemed to go away. She looked into his eyes and smiled again. Her smile faded quickly. Instead of Juunana-gou, she saw Gohan. "No," she said quietly.  
  
Just a second ago she seemed to be glowing then it vanished. He looked at her face for some kind of explanation of what had happened. "Bra?"  
  
Bra looked up to meet his eyes. The way they softened and the way he looked at her made her want to cry. "This cannot be happening," she mumbled to herself again. She didn't see Gohan anymore, just Juunana-gou. She backed away from him and sat down. "I'm sorry Juu-kun, I don't feel like myself today."  
  
He stood over her and frowned. It was happening again. Everytime it seemed like he had her again, that brat would enter her mind. He crossed his arms and growled under his breath. 'Why didn't I think of it sooner?' He looked down at the woman with a fierce frown. "Bra-chan, why didn't you tell me sooner?"  
  
She held her head in her hands and shook it every now and then. Her pajama shirt seemed to swallow her up and she rocked back and forth. "I'm sorry Juu-kun," she whispered.  
  
He shook his head and frowned. "I thought you loved me," he said in a hushing tone.  
  
She repeated over and over again. "I do! You know I do, how many times do I have to tell you?!" She got up off of the chair and stood to her full height. "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Is that enough? What more proof do you want?" Bra forgot about being sad, right now she wanted to kill him.  
  
He smirked. This is what he loved about her. Getting her mad was much more entertaining than getting her father upset. He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Just like usual she melted in his arms. 'I know monkeyboy can't do this to you,' he thought as he deepened the kiss.  
  
  
  
Bulma was about to leave when she saw another familiar face go to the apartment building. "Gohan?" She thought about stopping him and asking him what was going on between the two. She decided it could wait. She sat back down and ordered another cocoa.  
  
  
  
Gohan looked at the flowers in his hand. He managed to leave early from the convention. The guest speaker never showed up and many scholars returned home. Before he boarded his flight back home he managed to pick up something he knew she would like. Black silk roses. Before he knocked he heard her yelling at someone then silence. 'She could be in trouble,' he thought. He opened the door and decided it was probably the worst mistake he ever could make. The roses fell out of his hand on hit the carpet. "Bra..." he managed to get out.  
  
  
Bra's anger at Juunana faded away in that kiss. It was replaced my a burning passion then by guilt. She broke away from him and looked behind her at Gohan. "I.. I... Gohan," she walked closer to him still trying to pick her words.  
  
Gohan looked at her with hurt eyes. He shook his head slowly. He felt betrayed in a way, but he couldn't really. She never promised to be more than a friend to him. He looked away from her face. He loved her and he was positive she loved him too. He turned around to leave but she tugged on his arm.  
  
"Gohan, please don't leave me."  
  
Those five words alone meant the world to him. He was reminded of the first feeling he had for her. He wanted to protect her then and even more now. His eyes went past her to the cyborg that was keeping them apart. He hated Juunana-gou. There was no simple way to put it. He hated him and he wanted him dead. "Juunana-gou." The way that he looked at him made him want to kill him right now. He knew what he was thinking and it wasn't true. He gave him the same look in return. All he got was a glare in answer.  
  
Bra rolled her eyes at the two. Her eyes were fixed on Gohan. The jealous bloodlust gleam in his face made her smile. She felt her face flush when he licked his lips wickedly. She walked over towards him and touched his arm lightly. She was disappointed when he noticed her and the gleam disappeared from his eyes.  
  
  
Juunana felt his stomach constrict. The way she acted around him was almost too much to bear. He shook his head sadly at the two before him. 'Dammit! Why didn't I tell her when I had the chance? Why can't I tell her now?' He looked from Bra to Gohan and growled inwardly. 'Why the hell did he have to come and ruin everything between us?' He wanted to blast something. This was not suppose to happen to them. They were suppose to be together forever, not for two and a half years. "I'll be leaving now," he said in a hurt voice. We walked towards Bra and touched her cheek lightly before brushing his lips across hers. 'I love you Bra,' his mind screamed. He traced her hairline lightly with one hand and stroked her cheek with the other. "I... I... I have to leave now."He looked deeply into her eyes before walking away.  
  
Gohan glared at the two the entire time. He felt like screaming at Bra that he was just using her to get her into his bed. He shook his head at Juunana-gou's obvious plan. He reached for Bra's hand and held it tight so she would look away from the door.   
  
Bra felt like she was in a dream. With one look, Juunana made her want to leave the world and just go away with him. She knew her eyes were glazing over when she felt Gohan's hand on her own.   
  
Her eyes looked down at their locked hands. The lusty passionate love that Juunana stirred within her was replaced by a passionate affection and desire for Gohan. She looked up to meet his eyes and felt the guilt hit her again. "Gohan..."  
  
Gohan leaned in over her and pressed his lips against hers. When he felt she was just getting excited about it he pulled away. There was an almost vicious look in his eyes that it was sexy.  
  
Bra felt her mouth water. This was the way she wanted him to look at her, but it was too much. How could one person make her feel this way? His cold fingers stroked the hair on her head in a calm manner. A low moan made its way out of her mouth.  
  
Gohan smiled to himself. 'If I knew she would have reacted to me like this, I would have dropped the act sooner,' he thought. "Bra, you know how I feel about you, but how do you feel about me? I know you care for Juunana-gou, but who means more to you?"  
  
'You are gonna have to pick before you lose them both... So who would it be?' Pan's words came back to her. The fact that she was still wishing for Gohan to kiss her again and the memory of Juunana's arms around her didn't make the decision any easier. It was some time before she replied to him, "I'm not ready to answer that. I love Juunana, I know that. And..." She stopped and looked up at him. 'I love you too. I just can't say it.' "And, I care about you deeply."  
  
He sighed in hurt mixed in with fustration. 'I know she loves me, why can't she tell me?' He dropped his hand from her head. "Bra I didn't think I would fall for someone after Videl died, but the point is I did. I love you, and I know you feel the same way. If you can't tell me because of the way you feel for Juunana-gou, I'll simply have to fix that."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
He looked seriously at her. "Marry me."  
  
"Gohan, I can't believe you said that."  
  
His look didn't change. "Well what am I suppose to say? Bra I love you, I want to be with you, but you are so confused over that bucket of bolts that you get yourself mixed-up. I want you to be my girlfriend not girl friend! I can't imagine life without you now. You are all I think about. What do I have to do to make you realize that? I would die for you! I would do anything to make you happy! Now would the amazing walking scrap metal man do that for you?"  
  
She shook her head sadly at him. "Gohan I can't. I have my reasons why I'm still attached to him."  
  
His frustration level was rising rapidly. "Well are you more attached to him than me?"  
  
"No. I wouldn't leave you if my life depended on it." Bra was shocked that her answer came so fast She didn't regret it though, she meant every word.   
  
He smiled. "Do you mean it?"  
  
She nodded her head without missing a beat. "I love Juunana, but I could never leave you."  
  
He didn't try and push her any more. She would come to him, it was only a matter of time. And when she did, he would give anything to keep her. 'Would she leave him to be with me?' He pushed his thoughts aside and hugged her to him. They stood like that until she pulled away when a light knock came through the door.  
  
  
  
  
Bulma figited. She kept repeating to herself that this was the right thing. She knocked softly and waited until the door was answered.  
  
Her blue eyes looked up to meet black ones. 'Oh shit! This is not happening!' She felt herself panicking. "G-Gohan, where's my daughter?"  
  
Gohan raised an eyebrow at the older woman. 'I thought Bra told her about us?' He nodded and motioned behind him. He closed the door after Bulma entered the apartment. His eyes searched around for Bra. His stomach began to knot up. 'Why didn't she tell me she had problems with her mom?!'  
  
Bra examined her mother cooly. She was not in the mood to hear her bitch about her opinion on her life. She wanted to laugh at the old woman's expression when she saw Gohan answer the door and to find her in a men's shirt. She gave her mother a curt smirk to let her know she was enjoying her uneasiness. "Mother."  
  
Bulma smiled as cheerfully as she could. After two and a half years she was still upset about what had happened. "Bra."  
  
Gohan felt the tension in the air between the two. He shifted uncomfortably. "I think I should leave--"  
  
"That would be best."  
  
"Don't listen to her. Stay Gohan-chan." She added the extra emphasis on the chan to make her mother even more angrier. "This won't be long."  
  
He looked between the two before going to rest on the couch. 'I hope this isn't going to be as bad as it seems,' he thought.  
  
"Bra-chan..."  
  
"Don't Bra-chan me! Why did you tell Goten to come and see me? What the hell was that all about? When will you get it through your head that I do not need your help running my life. You gave that right up two years ago. I've went twenty years without a mom and I can go the next twenty without one too. I want you to leave me alone Bulma-san. I've worked my way to get to where I am now. I don't need your help. I don't want you help. I could care less about what you think of my life. You have to understand the fact that it's mine and not yours. If I want to be with Gohan then I'm going to be with him. If I want to stay with Juunana then I'm going to stay with him and I don't give a damn what you have to say about it!"  
  
Bulma wanted to cry, but not in front of her. She only wanted to help her, that was all. She squared her shoulders and looked at her straight in the eyes. "Bra, don't call me my first name. Call me kassan. I just want to--"  
  
"I can call you whatever the hell I want to call you. You were never my mom, so why should I give you that respect?" She smirked again at her fallen face. "And what do you want to do? Help me? So in other words you were trying to help me by not going to my graduation. You were helping me by going to work that day even when you don't work. You were helping me by not listening to me when I needed to talk to someone. You were helping me by being somewhere else when I needed you most. And lets not forget how you helped me by bringing the second person who I don't give a damn about back into my life. You were a real help weren't you?"  
  
"Bra, there's no reason for the sarcasm. I am sorry, okay? How many times do I have to say that? I know I wasn't the best mother in the world but I do care about you. I only wanted to relieve you of the infatuation you have for Gohan and Juunana-gou. I just--"  
  
"No you just did not say that," Bra said between gritted teeth. "You did not say relieve, did you?"  
  
"Bra, you are just confused. I think--"  
  
"Me confused! Ha! You think wrong! I am going to stay with them. I am trying to move away from two years ago. Two people who I was suppose to trust my life with betrayed me and then come back into my life and want to pick up where things used to be. Why should I want to listen to that? I don't trust you or Goten. I don't want to even see you. Understand this mother since you obviously don't understand me, I don't like you. I like you as much as a person can without hating them. Don't try and do any favors for me. Don't try and think for me because I'm not going to listen. The only reason that I don't hate you because I do have some respect for the woman who gave me life." Bra walked away from her mother to open the door. "I think you should leave now."  
  
Bulma hung her head in disappointment. She was positive this was the last time she would see her daughter. She gave a glance to Gohan and mouthed, 'take care of her', before leaving.  
  
Bra looked at the door. She didn't feel the satisfaction that she wanted to feel. She walked away from the door and went towards Gohan.  
  
Gohan eyed her skeptically. "Bra, I-I never knew. Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
She breathed in deeply. "It was my problem, not yours." She breathed in again. 'I wonder how long it's going to be before I finally lose it,' she thought. She sat down next to Gohan and smiled sadly. "I don't want you to worry about me, okay? Everything will work out for the best, trust me."  
  
Gohan raised his eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"  
  
Bra smiled wistfully. "Go to Ubuu's. I think Pan has something to tell you." She stood up and pulled him up with her. "Go!"  
  
He smiled wearily. He had a feeling of dread when he looked in her eyes. She was trying to get rid of him so she could do something. "I don't want to leave you Bra."  
  
She shrugged her shoulders. "It's okay, but I want you to leave me." Bra dragged him to the door and pushed im out. "Gohan, I hope you know, that I.. I... I really like you. You mean the world to me."  
  
Before Gohan could question what she meant she closed the door. He was going to knock but he knew what she would have done. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked to the staircase. His eyes took one last glance at the door before leaving to meet with his daughter.  
  
  
Gohan walked away from the apartment duplex towards Ubuu's complex. He was lost in thought as he walked. His head jerked up when he felt someone nudge at his shoulder. "Hm?"  
  
"Excuse me," came a deep male reply.  
  
Gohan heard the recognition in the voice. "Ototo?"  
  
  
Goten turned around from the bus station. He didn't feel like leaving now. 'I should talk to oniisan, maybe he will tell me why he took my girl away from me?' He headed for the direction of Gohan's house.  
  
He walked swiftly down the sidewalk occasionally apologizing to the people he bumped into. He did this for the past twenty minutes until someone stopped him. He felt the heat rush to his face. "Oniisan."  
  
Gohan looked at his brother. 'I wonder if things went as bad with Bra and him as they were with her mother.' "Where are you headed to?"  
  
Goten shrugged. "I was on my way to see you."  
  
Gohan nodded. "You wanted to talk about Bra, right?"  
  
"Particularly Bra and you."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, why did you go after my girlfriend? You knew I liked her. I can't believe you would do this to your own brother."  
  
Gohan felt his anger rising. He pulled Goten aside to a nearby park. "First of all, she was not your girlfriend. If she was anybody's she was Juunana-gou's. Secondly, I can't believe how you treated her! Goten you left her for your ex-girlfriend. What did you expect for her to do?"  
  
Goten ignored him. "I liked Bra. She knew that! She loved me!"  
  
He sighed. "Well, I love her! Bra's the type of person that actions mean more than words ever could. And you said it yourself, she loved you. Keyword, loved."  
  
"That's not the point. She was mine and brothers don't recycle girlfriends. She's too young for you anyhow. Plus, you've only been widowed for a year. Don't you have any respect for Oneechan?" He looked at Gohan in disgust.  
  
Gohan felt like smacking some sense into his younger brother. "I've moved on Goten. Bra has to. Just because we're with each other means nothing. I don't even think about the age differences. If I'm not mistaken, isn't she eleven years younger than you?"  
  
"Well at least I'm not twenty-three years older than her! It's sick! Gohan just stay away from her!"  
  
Gohan shook his head. "I will do whatever I want! I love her and if you can't accept that then I don't have nothing else to say to you." Gohan stared at his brother long and hard before walking off to Ubuu's.  
  
"You'll regret it later on! She still loves me! It's only a matter of time before she comes back to me oniisan!" Goten yelled at his brother's retreating back.  
  
Gohan tuned his brother out as he walked the short distance to Ubuu's place. 'I can't believe the way he's reacting about Bra being with me,' he thought.  
  
  
Gohan knocked on the door lightly. "Ubuu, it's me Gohan," he said from behind the thick wood.  
  
Pan heard her father's voice and went to answer it. She remembered to act cooly around him. "Hello tousan."  
  
Gohan smiled uncertainly at his daughter. "Hi Pan-chan." He walked in the apartment and looked around before looking at her again. "Bra told me to come and talk to you about Ubuu. Is everything okay?"  
  
Pan wished she could scream at Bra. 'I don't want to tell him yet. Why did she have to go and do this to me?' She inhaled deeply and crossed her arms.   
  
"Pan, everything is okay, right?" He didn't like the agitated look she gave him from when he asked her last. "Pan, honey?"  
  
Pan blew up at her hair. "Everything is alright dad."  
  
"Then why did Bra..."  
  
She smiled slightly. "He finally proposed. I didn't want to tell you until later, but thanks to my father-stealer friend I'm telling you now."  
  
Gohan went and pulled her into a hug. "That's great! I knew he was going to do it soon!" He hugged her tighter until something else she said came back to him. He pulled back and looked at her. "Why did you call her a father-stealer?"  
  
Pan shrugged. "I'm just playing around. I know you like her, but that doesn't mean I like it. I still think you're robbing the cradle..."  
  
"Pan, don't--"  
  
"It's true. I'll accept whatever fling you two have but that doesn't mean I will like it anytime soon. She likes you, and you like her, that's all that matters right now. Believe it or not, I'm actually mature enough to understand some things." She smiled sincerely at her father.  
  
Gohan smiled at her. "Thanks Pan."  
  
She shrugged. "Don't thank me yet. You are going to go through hell for the next few days."  
  
He looked at her strangely. "Huh?"  
  
Pan looked away from him. "Dad, did Bra seem a bit frustrated and upset today?"  
  
He thought back to Juunana-gou, Bulma, Goten, and Pan went by there today. There were probably more who made her a bit uncomfortable, but that's all he knew right now. "Yeah."  
  
Pan nodded. "So who do you think would be the strongest between you two? I mean mentally not physically."  
  
"Pan, what does this all have to do with Bra and I? Is there something you're not telling me?"   
  
"Just answer me dad."  
  
Gohan began to panic for some unknown reason. "I guess it would be me."  
  
Pan looked back at him. Her eyes were a bit glossy. "That's what I thought."  
  
Gohan felt his stomach do jumping jacks. "Pan, what's happening? Tell me?!"  
  
She smiled wry at him. "You'll find out in the morning."  
  
"Pan, is it important!?"  
  
She pulled on his arm. "You'll know in the morning. C'mon, don't you want to meet your new son-in-law?"  
  
Gohan protested a few more times before finally giving up. He would stop by Bra's on the way home. 'Bra, please be safe,' he thought.  
  
  
  
  
Bra looked at the envelopes in front of her. One was to her mother, her father, Trunks, Juunana-gou, and finally Gohan. She put the finishing touches on his letter. Gohan's was the most important. Everyone else would find a way through this, he would be the only one to have doubts about going on. She shook her head. 'I should have told him I was suicidal to begin with and this bond doesn't help me any,' she thought sadly. 'No one understands me and I am always in the way for someone. This is the best solution. Things will be better this way,' she spread the envelopes where they could find them easily. She picked up the knife and headed towards her room. She looked around her apartment for the last time, hopefully. Her bare feet hit something soft. 'This must have been what he brought for me.' A low sigh escaped her lips as she picked up the black roses. She wasn't afraid to do this. She was afraid of hurting him. She unlocked her door so it would be easy for them to find her. She walked to her room and laid down on her bed. Her hands fingered the blade slowly before closing her eyes and jabbing the blade swiftly into her abdomen. A sharp intense pain shot through her before everything went black.  
  
  
I don't own DBZ/GT. I also don't own "Killing Me Softly", Roberta Flack does.  
  
  
I didn't want to say anything but I have to so some people won't get confused. This was my fav part and it came out faster than I expected. EVERYTHING will be explained in part 4!! I promise, and there's gonna be a surprise. Thanx 4 readin', bye  
--Ashley  
  
e-mail me if you wanna know what really happens ahead of time... Trunkslover2004@cs.com 


	4. Killing Me Softly-- Part Four (the end)

Killing Me Softly, Part Four (the end)

  
  
I unfortunately do not own DBZ/GT. It's sad, I know. I also do not own the song "Killing Me Softly." I don't know who wrote it or the music but Roberta Flack sings it.  
  
  
**Quick A/N:** **REwrite** of Part four cuz I ended it in here. Skip the beginning if ya want cuz little is changed but the ending is sad. A real tear-jerker for some. So I'll shut up now, but in case somebody doesn't gets what I'm saying, this is the end!! Ciao people!!  
  
  
**Killing Me Softly, Part Four (end)**  
by: Ashley  
  
  
_  
Strumming my pain with his fingers,   
singing my life with his words,   
killing me softly with his song,   
killing me softly with his song,   
telling my whole life with his words,   
killing me softly with his song _  
  
  
  
Gohan knocked on Bra's door. "Hello? Bra, are you home? Bra?!" He called again a few more times, getting louder with each knock. He twisted the knob and was surprised that it turned. _'This isn't like her. She never keeps the door open,' _he thought a bit worried.  
  
He walked into the dark apartment. "Bra! Where are you?" He was getting more paranoid that she didn't answer him. "Bra!" he yelled from time to time. He bumped into a table while heading for her room. 'Huh?' he thought when four envelopes fell off. He looked at them and shoved them in his back pocket for later. His feet finally found the right way to her room. He hesitated before knocking on her bedroom door._ 'Something does not feel right about this,'_ he thought. "Bra, are you in there?" His only answer was a dead silence. Carefully he pushed the door further open.   
  
Gohan looked around the fairly dim room. His eyes went across the large canopy bed. "Bra? Is that you?" he half whispered.   
  
Gohan advanced towards the bed a little. He felt the frog jumping up and down in his stomach waiting to be let out. "Bra?" he whispered again. His eyes looked down at the small curled up form mixed up in the black sheets. He reached for her body caressing it lightly.  
  
"Bra? Are you sleeping?" His breath grew ragged and raspy. This was the same feeling he had when he felt Videl slipping away from him. He rubbed her hand gently but pulled away when he felt a warm, sticky, liquid on his hands. "What the..." His eyes grew big when he saw the color of his hands. "Bra!! Bra, wake up!!!"  
  
  
  
Trunks rolled over to his side when the phone rang._ 'Who could be calling me this early?' _He felt Marron stir beside him, but he didn't pay attention to her. He picked up the phone after the third ring. "Hello?"  
  
  
Gohan held the phone shakily in his hands as he tried to make out the words to Trunks. He tried his best not to look at the barely breathing person in his arms. "Trunks..."  
  
  
Trunks wiped the sleep from his eyes when he recognized the voice on the other line. "Gohan? You don't sound right, is something wrong?"  
  
  
He stroked her hair and clenched his eyes shut. "Trunks, be at the hospital as soon as you can. I can't talk for long because I think she's slipping away from me."  
  
  
Trunks began to panic but not really knowing why. "Gohan, what's going on?!"  
  
  
"I really don't know. I-I... I think Bra stabbed herself and there's a lot of blood loss. I'm on my way to the hospital right now. Talk to you until then."  
  
  
Before Trunks could respond to that, the line went dead. He looked at the phone trying to piece together what he just heard. "Oh shit," he mumbled under his breath.  
  
Marron rolled over. Her long blonde hair draped over the two. "What was that all about?"  
  
He sighed and rose up off the bed. "I can't explain everything now, but I will later. Bra stabbed herself. Gohan's taking her to the hospital. Call your uncle and tell him to meet me there. I'll call my mom," he said in a rush. He looked straight at her when he was off the bed. "I want you to stay here with Carmen. Things are gonna get ugly and I don't want you two around when that happens." He bent down and kissed her forehead. "I'll try and be home before noon if things are better." He grabbed some clothes and walked out of the house.  
  
Marron laid in bed thinking about what he just said. _'Why would she stab herself? What's going on?'_ she thought while dialing her uncle's number. She gave him the details and hung up afterwards. She looked at the clock and decided it was best going to sleep until she knew the real trouble of her sister-in-law.  
  
  
  
Gohan paced the hallway of the emergency rooms. When he arrived at the front desk with an almost dead woman in his arms they took her away from him quickly. The hospital aide shoved a bunch of forms in his face to fill out. He filled out what he could and turned them in. All of that happened thirty minutes ago.   
  
_'Where the hell is Trunks?! They won't let me know anything about what's going on without him! I need to know what's going on!'' _He stopped his pacing for the first time since he had gotten there to take a break. At the front desk he heard someone mumble Bra's name and his head jerked in that direction thinking that it was Trunks. What he saw was not what he expected.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
Juunana-gou turned in the direction of the familiar but annoying voice of the person who took his girl away from him. He looked at him for a while before turning around and sitting in a chair in the corner.  
  
Gohan seemed a little surprised that he didn't make any comment, but there was no was no way he was going to let this rest. "I'm talking to you? Is your battery dead or is it that you just can't hear me?"  
  
There was a deep sigh from the other figure in the room. "I don't see the need to. I'm here for the same reason you are. What else do I have to say?"  
  
Gohan looked at Juunana with a new shaded light._ 'At least he cares for her, but not the way that I do.' _He hung his head not caring to say anything else after that.  
  
  
  
Trunks stumbled into the hospital with a T-shirt and baggy jeans. He stopped at the desk to ask for the update on his sister before heading to where Gohan was. He looked around the room with a heavy stomach. He spotted his in-law in a corner with a fixed look on the wall. He walked away quickly from him, knowing that look in his eyes.  
  
Gohan looked up to see Trunks standing in front of him. A small smile came on his tired face. At least now he would know how Bra was doing. "Is she any better?"  
  
Trunks felt his mouth go dry and hang off of his jaw for a while. He regained his senses and looked over Gohan to Juunana-gou. He had that same worried look in his eyes but it didn't have as much emotion as Gohan's did. His eyes tore away from Juunana back to Gohan. "Um, they just finished the operation on her internal injuries. She had a hole in her stomach and tears in her other organs. She's stable though, I think. They say if she makes it through the next night, she'll live." He looked away from the other two men. He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. He wasn't supposed to talk about his sister this way. Bra had too much life in her, why did she do this?  
  
  
Gohan didn't blink. This was not happening. This was not happening to him! _'I just lost Videl. Why do I have to lose someone else when I just got her! It's not fair!' _he thought trying to suppress his anger, grief, and sadness.  
  
Juunana wasn't doing any better. It was some time before he could turn away from Trunks. _'It wasn't supposed to be this way. We were going to stay together forever. We were going to have fun and just be together.''_ His head fell into his hands and he trembled slightly. He could care less about who saw him in such a weak stage. He wanted her well and smiling again._ 'I don't care if she picks him. I just want her to never do anything this stupid again,''_ he thought. He raised his head up to look at the other two men in the room. _'I really don't care if she picks him. This is too close to losing her and I don't want to know what it's really like if I actually did lose her.''_ A small smile came on his grief-stricken face. Even when she was near death, she made him feel things that were not common for him.   
  
He stared at the tiled floor for some time before finally braking the dreadful silence. "Does anyone know why she did what she did?" There he finally asked the question that had been bugging him ever since he found out about her condition.  
  
Gohan wanted to slam his fist into something. The same question had been running through his mind since he found her blood covered body. He finally answered the question after a few minutes. "I don't know why. When I found her I found these letters on a table." He reached in his back pocket to pull out the slightly bloody envelopes. He tossed one to each of the men. He stared at the envelope in his hands. "She planned this." It was more of a statement than a comment. He turned the envelope over and looked at it. His smeared red fingerprints shown lightly on the white paper. He looked at the fingerprints before shoving the envelope back into his pocket.   
  
Trunks looked at his friend with slight curiosity. "Why didn't you rip open the letter? Don't you want to know what happened to her?"  
  
Gohan looked up to meet Trunks's eyes. They were so much like hers. He shook his head to clear it. "I don't know why. I guess it's the same reason you're not opening yours."  
  
Trunks looked at Gohan with a blank face for a second. "No, it's not," he said quietly. He sat down heavily in an empty seat. He turned the envelope over and over again as if to examine it. "I know why she did it. I think he does too." He looked down at his hands to escape from looking at Gohan.  
  
  
Juunana went through the letter quickly. He folded it back up and stuffed it back into the envelope. He looked up when he heard Trunks's comment directed towards him. "Hn?"  
  
Gohan looked at the two. "What are you two not telling me? Is it about Bra? What's going on?"  
  
Juunana sighed in disgust at the monkey. _'Just when I actually thought he had some sense,' _he thought. "Of course it's about Bra. Who else would we be talking about?"  
  
Gohan ignored the cyborg and focused on Trunks. "You know why she did what she did?"  
  
Trunks nodded. "She's afraid of bonds," he said like it was obvious.  
  
Juunana held a hand to his head to prevent an oncoming headache. _'I can't believe I am stuck with these two,'_ he thought irritated by the others in the room. "Did she ever tell you that? She would rather kill herself than go through a bond."  
  
Gohan felt his blood go dry. His skin paled and his eyes seemed dilated. It was some time before he could react from the shock. _'He's kidding. Bra's not like that. Even he should know better.' _His shocked face was replaced by a smile. "You're kidding. Bra's not like that. She would have told me if she was."  
  
Juunana was again taken on how stupid the other man was. _'If she does pick him over me, I want an explanation. It's not possible for someone to be this stupid.'_ He shook his head. "Idiot. Do you honestly think that's a thing people should be telling others?"  
  
Gohan looked at Trunks for another answer. When he received nothing he shook his head sadly. "You two are wrong. She has never been that way around me. I would have known!"  
  
"And just how long would that have been? You two were only together for a week." Juunana rose up off of his seat. This man was getting on his nerves. He walked casually over to him with a straight face. "She's been that way for about as long as I have known her. It started when your dumbass brother dumped her. Then other problems that she probably wouldn't have told you. When her mother didn't show up at her graduation, it didn't help her any."  
  
Gohan stared up in horror at Juunana. "You're not serious. She would have told me. I know she would have."  
  
"When things like that happen, it's not something to be talking about. Since you know her so well, you should know she hates pity. Don't think about it. She doesn't, so why should you?"  
  
Gohan trembled slightly. "I can't help but feel sorry about her! I just found out the girl I love is suicidal because she's getting too close to me. What the hell am I suppose to feel? I even feel responsible for why she's here."  
  
Trunks intervened between the two men. He shot a look at Juunana to let him know that he would handle this. He turned away from the cyborg to the older man. "Gohan, did Bra ever explain the bonds to you?"  
  
_'What the hell does bonds have to do with her being in the hospital?' _he thought. "What?!"  
  
"I don't know much about them, because I've never been bonded, but they scare the hell out of her. They make you vulnerable if your mate is hurt in any way. You care too much and I guess they make you soft. I guess that's why she did what she did so she wouldn't be bonded to you." Trunks kept his eyes locked on his face.   
  
Gohan frowned and shook his head. "You mean, if I wasn't bonded to her, she would be okay?"  
  
"Basically yeah," Juunana said. He smirked at Trunks. _'He couldn't have possibly thought that I would leave that alone.'_  
  
Trunks turned around after glaring at his in-law. "It's not your fault entirely. It happens to everyone who bonds. Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."  
  
Gohan ignored him. It was his fault. There was no way around it. It was his fault she was here. It was his fault she stabbed herself. It was his fault that they bonded. He looked up to meet Trunks's eyes. "Whatever," he said a bit drowsily. There was nothing Trunks could say that would change his mind. "She's not going to die, is she?"  
  
Trunks was silent for a few minutes before finally answering. "They don't know. We'll know later today."  
  
  
  
Bulma speeded towards the hospital. _'I knew I should have tried harder for her forgiveness! It's all my fault! I should have been there for her! I never should have neglected her. She's in there because of me. I just know it! How can she forgive me if she's dead! Why did she do this!' _Her thoughts were racing around her head as she pulled into a parking place. She jumped out the car and ran to the ER rooms.   
  
Bulma looked around the waiting room for her son. She spotted him pacing near two other men. "Trunks!"  
  
  
Trunks turned at the sound of her voice. A bitter smile came across his face. _'She better be here for the right reasons and not for her own,'_ he thought as he walked to his mother to give her a hug.   
  
"Trunks! Is everything okay with her? She's not as bad as I think she is, is she?"  
  
Trunks tightened his grasp on his mother. He smiled slightly._ 'At least she's here for the right reasons.' _He sighed deeply before answering her. "We really don't know yet."  
  
  
A young man in scrubs walked into the waiting room. "May I see the 'Bra Briefs' party?" He watched as four strangers walked over to him. He flipped through some pages in his folder. "She's still critical. Anything can happen now, so we just got to wait for the outcome. You can see her but she can slip into and out of a coma. She's lost a lot of blood and we're trying to find her blood type but it's hard. She's had this bad cough, but we don't know if it's worth looking into yet. If you would like to see her, follow me." He tucked a few loose papers into his folder before walking off.  
  
  
The four looked at each other speechless that his was really happening to them. Without saying a word, the four followed the intern to find out the outcome of Bra.  
  
  
  
The intern slowed down when he came to a set of doors. "Let me check on her, before you go in." He opened the door and stepped in as quietly as he could. When he came out he changed the name charts on the outside of the door. "She's still critical but I think she can see visitors. She's talking, but not well. I think she asked for someone named Juu or Juuann." He looked at the four for a reaction. When a teenager with shoulder length black hair stepped forward he moved aside. "I think she's not doing as well as I would like her to so, I only want one at a time to see her." He filled out something else on her chart before leaving the four.  
  
  
Juunana waited until the fake doctor was out of sight. _'At least she wants to see me first. That means something, doesn't it?'_ He shook his head and opened the door cautiously before closing it behind him.  
  
"Bra?" he whispered. He walked closer to her. There were tubes and machines all around her. She looked so small lying there in the bed that it was sad. Juunana swallowed the rising lump in his throat and inched his way closer to her. "Bra?"  
  
  
Bra felt like crap. She swallowed the rising blood coming up her throat. Her head leaned to the left. _'If I ever survive this...'_  
  
  
Juunana looked at her with an unusual pain shooting up his back. He ignored the pain and stepped closer to her. When he saw her up close the pain came harder. He shook it off as fatigue and wiped a few stray locks out of her face. "You are so stupid. What were you thinking?"  
  
  
_'I did do this for a reason. It's not my fault I fell for two guys. One sweetheart and one arrogant jackass. If I had my strength, I'd kill you Juu-kun,'_ she thought. Her eyes glazed up in a weak effort to glare up at him. She struggled to sit up on her elbows and look up at him. "Juunana," she coughed out. She pushed her away from him when he tried to help her. "Leave me alone," she wheezed.  
  
  
Juunana took his hands away from her like he had been burned. "Bra," he said sternly before pushing her back to the bed.  
  
  
Bra hit her pillows hard and looked up at him with glazed eyes. "Don't baby me." She struggled to sit up to prove her point that she didn't give a damn about what he said.  
  
  
Juunana sighed deeply. How was he supposed to watch after her when the doctors had given her a heavy dosage of girlpower? "I'm not trying to baby you. I want you to get better and never do something as stupid as this ever again."  
  
  
"I didn't ask for your help."  
  
  
A low, frustrated sigh escaped his mouth. This meeting was going nowhere. "Why would you call me here, if you didn't want me to come?"  
  
  
Bra tried to exhale but a tired and sickly cough came out. _'I just wanted to see if what I did mattered anything at all to you! You self-centered jackass! Why can't you at least drop the 'I am better than this' attitude when I am on my damn deathbed!' _She glazed over at him again and tried her best at a glare. "I just wanted to know if it mattered to you."  
  
He crossed his arms and snorted at her comment. "You know it matters. I wouldn't have came if it didn't."  
  
His answer didn't satisfy Bra. "So why are you here? Are you here because you want to or because you need to?"  
  
"I need to be here! Dammit Bra, what the hell you want me to do now? Go get a knife and shove through my guts? I came because..." He had to catch himself. He almost told her. That would have given her too much power if he told her now, despite her condition.  
  
Bra's heart monitor increased then went into a steady pattern jumping every now and then. After some time she turned her glassy eyes away from him. "Just forget it."  
  
Juunana wondered briefly if he made her upset. He shrugged off the unusual feeling knowing that if he did, she would have told him. "I'll come again tomorrow." He kissed her forehead and left her room.  
  
Bra wheezed again. She almost laughed at his comment. _'Not if I die first,' _she thought bitterly.  
  
  
When Juunana exited out of the room he looked at the door a a second before turning around to face the others. He made sure to keep a close check on his emotions. Something just told him that things didn't go the way he wanted. He turned around and when his eyes caught Gohan's he smirked.  
  
Gohan stopped pacing to catch Juunana's eyes. His frowned deepened at his haughty smirk._ 'What the hell went on in there?!'_ When the cyborg was out of sight he turned to the other two. "I'm going in there."  
  
Bulma dropped back down into her seat. She had known Gohan long enough to recognize that tone in his voice. "Please don't stay long."  
  
  
Gohan opened the door to her room and closed it quietly behind him. He scanned the room for her body. When he spotted her in a bed by the window he felt his eyes dampen. She was hooked up to different kind of machines and IV's. As he walked closer he noticed the different tubes running in and out of her body. Her hair wasn't the same bright blue that he had come to love, but a dull turquoise. Her skin was pale and you could see the veins popping out in her arms, neck, and face. His hand reached out to touch her to make sure that this wasn't some kind of bad dream. His stored tears dropped slowly and splashed down on her cool skin. _'She already looks dead. She doesn't look the same. What did they do to her?' _he thought sadly.  
  
"Gohan?"  
  
He smiled and wiped the few tears he had shed for her away. "Yeah?"  
  
She tried to turn to him and resisted the help he offered her. When she finally did she smiled weakly up at him. _'Ah, I still feel like shit. When are they gonna pull the plug. I'm not going to survive this. I **don't **want to survive this.' _She coughed a few times. When her spell was done she just laid there looking up at him.  
  
Gohan felt his stomach knot up. He leaned down to make sure what he thought he saw was right. Much to his displeasure, it was. "Bra, I just want to tell you again that I love you and you're going to pull through this. We are going to live for a long time together. I know it. So just promise me you will hang on."  
  
Bra coughed up some more blood and shook her head. "I can't promise you that." She began coughing again more and more. The tiny drops of blood got bigger and bigger. Despite the obvious pain she was going through she still talked. "Sue this place when I die. They gave me the wrong diagnosis." She smiled and reached out for his hand. "Take care of yourself and don't blame yourself about whatever happens to me. I meant to say this sooner, but you know what it is. I don't want to be mushy, so I'm just going to have to assume you know what I want to say. I care a lot for you and you know.." she gave him a weak but genuine smile.  
  
Even though she was coughing up blood and probably dying in his arms right then, he couldn't leave her. She just told him she loved him, in so many words, and that she was thinking about how he felt even though she was slipping. "Nothing is going to happen to you. When you get better, we are getting engaged or something. I don't care if you don't want to or that I must be stupid, or even if you think you still love that damn machine, I don't want to lose you again. I just got you Bra, I can't lose you now."  
  
Bra squeezed his hand lightly as her body racked with coughs. Gohan looked down at the girl of his dreams and wanted to cry again. She was practically dying right in front of him. He leaned down and kissed her before rushing out of the room to get medical attention.   
  
When she saw Gohan running out of her daughter's room, Bulma panicked. "Gohan! She's not going to die! She can't die!" Trunks immediately ran to his mother's aide. He felt the tears sting the back of his eyes as he rocked with his mother.   
  
"It's okay okassan. She's not going to die. She's too young. You know she's not." As he said it, he tried to convince himself that this was not really happening. The doctors said she could live! She was going to survive this so he could kick her ass for worrying him so much. After about two minutes of rocking and trying to calm his mother down, the hospital intercoms were calling doctors to her room. Three doctors and some nurses rushed past them into her room and a while later they came out with a bed and a sheet draped over the top.   
  
A young, pretty nurse grabbed Bra Briefs clipboard. "Time, doctor?"  
  
"Patient pronounced dead 7:42 A.M."  
  
At those words Bulma wailed and reached out for the bed. "My baby! She's gone! My baby girl! Oh my goodness! What did I do to deserve this!"  
  
Trunks released his mother. He tried his best to stay calm and not get overreacted. His baby sister was gone. There was no way she could come back. He looked at the covered body and turned away quickly. He couldn't handle this. He bowed down and cupped his face in his hands as he cried for his only sister.  
  
Gohan walked back to where Bra's room was. His heart stopped when he saw Bulma being held down by meds and nurses and Trunks crying in a corner. Time seemed to stop for him when they tried to wheel a feminine figure away from the hysterical woman. When the bed turned and a few strands of blue hair spilled from beneath the sheet his hand clutched his heart. She wasn't supposed to die. Not yet. _'This isn't happening again. I just lost Videl now Bra. Why is it always me?'_  
  
Bulma managed to get out of the MD's grasp in time to catch Gohan. She started yelling at him in a need to blame her death on someone. "It's your fault! She would have never done this if it hadn't been for you! My daughter is dead because of you! How could you?!" She dropped to her knees and cried again. Bra was dead.  
  
  
  
The funeral was three days after her death. It was a nice funeral. When it was Gohan's turn to view the body he was stuck there. She was as beautiful in life as she was in death. She wore a simple but elegant black dress with her hair made into soft blue curls. She didn't look like the sick woman he had seen earlier that week. She looked healthy and just gorgeous. He barely realized that Yamucha and Goten had to drag him away from her. He resisted but not too much because he probably would have taken her out of the box. He looked back again and noticed the black, silk rose he gave her when he came back from his trip was in her hands. He went to his knees and cried at the sight. _'The last love of my life is gone. Why can't I die now?'_

Goten pulled his brother up with a heavy heart. He was upset about her death, but not as upset as he is. _'He really loved her. It's such a shame though, I wish I could help him out, but I wouldn't know what to do.' _  
  
Juunana sat in the back. He couldn't bring himself through the pain of seeing her there_. 'I don't see how he could do it. That's like walking into a fight blind.' _He thought about his lost girl for a moment before turning and leaving. _'I should have told her I loved her. Now it's too late.'_

  
  
Pan and Ubuu made sure to get Gohan away from there before they buried her in the ground. All three of them got in the car and drove to Capsule Corperation to send their condolences to the family. Ubuu kept his eye on the road even though he wanted to end Pan's grief for her friend. He knew this must have been hard for her, but it probably didn't compare to what Gohan was feeling at the moment.   
  
"We're here," he said melancholy.  
  
Pan stepped out of the car and went to his arms. When she saw her father get out, she felt so sorry for him. He really looked his age if not older just right then. It hurt her a little to know that he wasn't like this when her mother died, but she knew it was just a jealous feeling over nothing. "Daddy, I really am sorry."  
  
He just nodded at her and walked past the two. He didn't want to be near anyone. He walked in the house and around the various people eating and drinking to get to the backyard. When he got there he sat down hard on the porch. He had no more tears. There was nothing else for him to do now except move on. "Bra, why did you have to do this? I would rather you be with him than be gone" he whispered to himself.  
  
  
Bulma watched him from the window. He looked like he wanted to be there with her daughter. She came out and touched him on the shoulder. "Are you feeling any better?"  
  
Gohan jumped at the sound of another voice. He relaxed a little when he saw Bulma's face. He didn't want to talk to her, because of the things she said about him after she heard the news. "No."  
  
Bulma frowned. "I'm sorry about what happened at the hospital. I was just upset. My baby is gone. But what makes me so upset about it is, we never got to resolve our differences. I wanted to tell her I was sorry. I didn't know I was going to be too late. I just wish she knew I only wanted the best for her. I didn't want her to fall in and out of love at such a young age. It hurts, I know from experience. But... well, you know how she is."  
  
He nodded, but didn't say anything.  
  
"I know now that you really loved her. Maybe if I stayed out of her business she would still be here. Maybe we would be able to get along. I don't know, but I just think I'm the one who caused all of this."  
  
He laid his hand over hers. "It's not your fault. It's mine. I should have never asked her to pick between me and Juunana. Maybe if I didn't, she would still be here," _with me hopefully,_ but he didn't say it.  
  
Bulma tapped his shoulders. "We'll never know. We can't blame ourselves for the rest of our lives. It just makes you have more grey hairs." She smiled at him. "Don't worry Gohan, we'll understand it better as time goes by. At least that is what Vegeta said. He told her, she must have did what she did for a reason, and a damn good one because she's his daughter. I don't understand it, but it must make some sense if that is what he kept telling himself to keep him from breaking down. I'm going to go in now, don't stay out here too long."  
  
Gohan was about to slump back into his thinking until Carmen came to sit beside him.   
  
"What's wrong Gohan-san?"  
  
He looked beside him and sighed._ 'Why can't I just be left alone to feel sorry for myself?!' _He managed to smile at the small girl. "Hey Carmen." When she smiled at him he was once again reminded at how much she looked like her aunt.  
  
"Do you miss her?"  
  
His smile faded quickly at the question. He was quiet for a while before answering quiety. "More than anything. I will always love her and I know I'm going to think about her for the rest of my life."  
  
She nodded and turned away. "Don't blame yourself, she wouldn't want that."  
  
He nodded again. "It's going to be hard not to."  
  
"Why is it hard. Just think about the good times you had together. If you had died, would she blame herself?"  
  
"No." He was surprised at how fast it came out, but it was true. She would feel sorry and regretful, but Bra would not have blamed herself. He thought about it for a while before turning and looking at Carmen. "You're a smart four-year old."  
  
She smiled. "Naw, my grandmother told me to use common sense about things because it's easier to recognizee than looking at it the logical way. Uncle Juu-san told me the same thing too."  
  
He nodded at her words. It was hard to believe that he was getting advice from a four-year old girl, but she seemed the only one who didn't feel sorry for him. "Thanks Carmen."  
  
"You're welcome. You want me to tell you a story about what auntie Bra did for me?"  
  
He nodded 'yes'. He had nothing else to do, plus it would get him out of his own self pity. "Yeah, go ahead."  
  
She smiled and began telling him about this weird song that she used to always sing for her. "She would always sing this song and tell me it was the story of her life. She said a song would kill her one day." She turned and looked at him strangely for a minute.

Gohan looked at her as if he had seen a ghost. "Carmen?"

Carmen smiled at him and continued her story.  
  
  
_Strumming my pain with his fingers,   
singing my life with his words,   
killing me softly with his song,   
killing me softly with his song,   
telling my whole life with his words,   
killing me softly with his song _

  
  


I AM DONE!! YAY!! This story is done, finished, and whatever else ya wanna say about it!! Sorry if the ending seems rushed, but I was running out of ideas. I want to thank every single person who reviewed and emailed me. Thanks so much!! All of the questions and the pushing me, made me get it finished since I was planning on ending it after part 1. I hope ya liked the ending cuz I made it where I can pick up on it whenever I'm bored. Sorry to those looking for a happy ending but I can't think of anything happy. Sorry to 17/B fans and B/G fans looking for a hook up. But death seemed the best thing to do here to even out the romance. But if you really hate it, write a happier ending. I don't care. E-mail it to me and I'll even put it on my site. Just remember to give me credit for the idea. If you like this go read **"Five Steps" **cuz everybody has somebody (except Bulma) and it has a little 17/Bra/Gohan thing going on. And if you want to put it on your site, go ahead, I don't care. Just put my email addy and tell me so I can check it out. And I am gonna write another 17/Bra/Gohan fic (with a happy ending) sooner or later. Ciao people!!

  
  



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